What is true about Descartes' philosophical inquiries?

Descartes' philosophical inquiries are characterized by his quest for absolute certainty, which is foundational to his method of doubt. He famously employed radical skepticism to strip away all beliefs that could be doubted, aiming to establish indubitable truths upon which to build knowledge. This pursuit led him to conclude "Cogito, ergo sum" (I think, therefore I am), as he recognized that the very act of doubt required a thinking subject.

This focus on achieving certainty is central to his contributions in the context of Western philosophy, particularly through his method of systematic skepticism. Other philosophical approaches such as empiricism, which emphasizes knowledge through sensory experience, do not align with Descartes' rationalist views that value reason as the primary method for understanding truth. Hence, the answer accurately reflects Descartes' philosophical objectives in seeking a foundational certainty in his inquiries.