The beginning of Enlightenment philosophy in Western thought is often marked by the publication of Rene Descartes' "Meditations on First Philosophy" in 1641. This work emphasized the use of reason as the primary means of acquiring knowledge, famously asserting "I think, therefore I am." Descartes' questioning of established dogmas and encouragement of scientific inquiry influenced subsequent thinkers like Locke and Hume. This philosophical shift fostered a new approach to understanding the world, encouraging critical thought and reflection, which laid the intellectual foundation for modern democracy and rationalism.