Descartes's Meditations : an introduction / Catherine Wilson.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Wilson, Catherine, 1951- author.

Series:

Cambridge introductions to key philosophical texts.

Cambridge introductions to key philosophical texts

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Descartes, René, 1596-1650. Meditationes de prima philosophia.

Descartes, René.

First philosophy.

God--Proof, Ontological.

God.

Metaphysics.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xii, 271 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Place of Publication:

Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2003.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

In this introduction to a classic philosophical text, Catherine Wilson examines the arguments of Descartes' famous Meditations, the book which launched modern philosophy. Drawing on the reinterpretations of Descartes' thought of the past twenty-five years, she shows how Descartes constructs a theory of the mind, the body, nature, and God from a premise of radical uncertainty. She discusses in detail the historical context of Descartes' writings and their relationship to early modern science, and at the same time she introduces concepts and problems that define the philosophical enterprise as it is understood today. Following closely the text of the Meditations and meant to be read alongside them, this survey is accessible to readers with no previous background in philosophy. It is well-suited to university-level courses on Descartes, but can also be read with profit by students in other disciplines.

Contents:

Cover; Half-title; Series-title; Title; Copyright; Dedication; Contents; Figures; Introduction: About the Meditations; CHAPTER 1 The situation of the Meditator is described and his desire to demolish everything and begin again is explored...; CHAPTER 2 Meditation One The possibility of a malevolent Demon is raised and the Meditator resolves to doubt everything...; CHAPTER 3 Meditation Two The Meditator discovers an indubitable proposition and continues with an investigation...; CHAPTER 4 Meditation Three (I) The Meditator discovers how to distinguish true from false propositions by reference...

CHAPTER 5 Meditation Three (II) The Meditator finds that he can reach a perfect God in his thoughts and that this God...CHAPTER 6 Meditation Four (I) The Meditator broods on her epistemological and moral errors and deficiencies...; CHAPTER 7 Meditation Four (II) The Meditator diagnoses the cause of her epistemological and moral errors, adds...; CHAPTER 8 Meditation Five The Meditator reflects on his experiences of mathematical and abstract concepts and arrives...; CHAPTER 9 Meditation Six (I) The Meditator determines that he is apparently attached to a particular human body. His mind...

CHAPTER 10 Meditation Six (II) The Meditator establishes that extramental corporeal things definitely exist, confirms...CHAPTER 11 Meditation Six (III) The Meditator learns how her body is organized, and discovers why her illnesses, like...; CHAPTER 12 Descartes in context; Appendix: the Objectors; Glossary; Further reading; Index

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015).

Includes bibliographical references (p. 262-265) and index.

ISBN:

1-107-13208-8

9786612387159

0-511-64333-0

1-282-38715-4

0-511-80500-4

0-511-20425-6

0-511-07808-0

0-511-56151-2

0-511-07651-7

OCLC:

57572532