I've been doing meditation. Its a bit like dreaming whilst awake (no, not imagining), but at some point if you can manage it, you can become aware of thinking nothing. Almost as if you are outside an empty room looking in. It is in not thinking I become aware of the fact that I am.

I think if I was a rock I'd still be, thinking or not.

Some good comments on this topic. Thank you all. If you consider that when we sleep we do not consciously think, we are still here! Sartre in my opinion was right ; we can stop thinking and allow ourselves to be. Buddhist monks have done it for centuries. I have done it for a couple of years. Even a few minutes of non-thinking will convince you if you try. It takes practice because we need to let go of thoughts. Meditation helps a lot. It only took me 15 years of daily meditation and then it happens. But the western psyche is not attuned to stillness.

I think you misunderstood Sarte.

Even if Sartre did say that and was correct, then Descartes' dictum would still hold - the "I" would just be more complicated.

I think it overlooks that to think is an action, and something that doesn't exist can't take action. Therefore Descartes' rule still holds.

This bollocks is why I dropped out of A Level Philosophy.

How about, "l don't think , therefore l am a Republican." Sticks 48

I agree with Descartes, and I think Sartre was just being contrary.

I will answer with a joke I heard:

Rene Descartes walks into a bar.

"Will you have the usual, Mr. Descartes?" asks the bartender.

"I think not," replies Rene, and promptly vanished.