Meditations and Other Metaphysical Writings
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||
The Penguin English Library features the best novels in the English language. Get lost in the amazing stories, browse the Penguin English Library. |
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
Of all the works of the man claimed by many as the father of modern philosophy, the MEDITATIONS, first published in 1641, must surely be Rene Descartes' masterpiece. This volume consists of not only a new translation of the original Latin text and the expanded objections and replies, but also includes selected correspondence and other metaphysical writings from the period 1641-49.
About the Author
Rene Descartes (1596-1650), French philosopher and mathematician, is generally regarded as the founder of modern philosophy. Desmond Clarke is professor of philosophy at Unviersity College, Cork.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This new Penguin edition includes the Meditations and selections from Principles of Philosophy and avoids repetition by omitting the simpler Discourse on Method. The Meditations is a keystone of 'modern' (as opposed to Medieval) philosophy and takes as its starting point the reconstruction of knowledge on a basis of absolute certainty. Hence Descartes begins by enumerating his inherited beliefs and subjecting them to the famous 'Cartesian doubt' ('Cartesian' from 'des Cartes'). This reduces him to the famous 'I think, I am' as indubitable. From there, he builds up a system of knowledge on the basis of arguments, starting with the existence of God and modeled on mathematical argumentation.
Used as a teaching text, Descartes can reduce students to a frustrated scepticism, as can Hume's Treatise of Human Nature. One wise professor who used Descartes as a class text taught it alongside Francis Bacon's writings which summarise the wealth and detail of knowledge, classified into history, poetry and philosophy to counteract abstract scepticism. Descartes was also contrasted in the 19th century with Blaise Pascal's Pensées, which says that 'the heart has its reasons that reason does not know' and thus rounded out the rationalistic idea of experience. Amongst modern critics, John Macmurray's The Self as Agent argues that it is incoherent to separate knowledge and practice.
Used as a teaching text, Descartes can reduce students to a frustrated scepticism, as can Hume's Treatise of Human Nature. One wise professor who used Descartes as a class text taught it alongside Francis Bacon's writings which summarise the wealth and detail of knowledge, classified into history, poetry and philosophy to counteract abstract scepticism. Descartes was also contrasted in the 19th century with Blaise Pascal's Pensées, which says that 'the heart has its reasons that reason does not know' and thus rounded out the rationalistic idea of experience. Amongst modern critics, John Macmurray's The Self as Agent argues that it is incoherent to separate knowledge and practice.
5 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Having just finished AS Philosophy, I can say that studying Descartes' meditations was both interesting and enjoyable. Descartes Rationalist philosophy may seem to not stand up to modern ideas, but his thorough look at the way we view the world is very engaging, and challenges ideas.
A great read for those with time to study!
A great read for those with time to study!
5 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The way rene descartes writes is beautiful to read
and his philosophy is much more easily understood because of this.His writings aren't just of philosophical importance they are great pieces of litreture in themselves and this translation preserves his fluidity of words.This is a great read and the transference of ideas is totally complete.
and his philosophy is much more easily understood because of this.His writings aren't just of philosophical importance they are great pieces of litreture in themselves and this translation preserves his fluidity of words.This is a great read and the transference of ideas is totally complete.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
