I think one way our reason rightly used leads us right is with the field of medicine. In modern western medicine, doctors record symptoms, order relevant laboratory tests, interpret the results, and suggest a treatment plan with appropriate options such as prescription drugs, lifestyle changes. It is a standard way to address diseases. The medical research, for example to approve drugs, is based strongly on data on effectiveness and safety. In this way, the western medicinal approach strays from the descartes view of relying on oneself to think of solutions to problems. People are quick to see doctors and trust their judgement. And doctors trust and follow diagnosis and treatment recommendations set by other doctors and researchers and agencies such as the FDA. Thus knowledge outside of ones own mind is searched for and trusted to enhance and improve a major part of life- one's health.
However, it is not completely without Descartes' theory. Patients do have to be the first to realize and determine if something might truly be wrong with their health. Both of these work together. It reminds me of the nature vs. nurture debate where one is not without the other. They both play a role in understanding and success. Researchers also make observations and come up with questions they are interested in studying and then work with others and with facts to come up with a theory, again the two are working simultaneously to produce something great and I think that they are both important to go further in life as well as to understand it.
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