Pierre Bayle's Cartesian metaphysics : rediscovering early modern philosophy / Todd Ryan.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Ryan, Todd, 1967-

Series:

Routledge studies in seventeenth-century philosophy ; 11.

Routledge studies in seventeenth-century philosophy ; 11

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Bayle, Pierre, 1647-1706.

Bayle, Pierre.

Descartes, René, 1596-1650.

Descartes, René.

Metaphysics.

Physical Description:

xiv, 223 pages ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

New York : Routledge, 2009.

Summary:

In his magnum opus, the Historical and Critical Dictionary (1697), Pierre Bayle engaged in a series of brilliant criticisms of the major philosophical positions of the 17th Century. Through a careful analysis of Bayles critical encounters with the metaphysical systems of the modern philosophers, this book argues that despite his reputation as a skeptic Bayle was not without philosophical commitments. Unfortunately, this more positive facet of Bayles thought has been underappreciated by scholars of Early Modern philosophy. Thus there remains a genuine need for a detailed study of Bayles metaphysics and its relation to the scientific revolution of the seventeenth-century. This impressive volume will be of interest to historians of philosophy and anyone interested by Bayle.

Contents:

Bayle and Cartesianism

Mind-body dualism

Critique of Lockean superaddition

The problem of causation

Leibniz and the preestablished harmony

Spinoza's monism

Mechanism and natural theology.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780415770187

0415770181

OCLC:

276602376