Meditations on First Philosophy & Other Metaphysical Writings

René Descartes

Jan 2021 · Arcturus Publishing

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365

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The Meditations on First Philosophy is one of Descartes's best-known works and one of the most influential philosophical texts ever written, this treatise offers Descartes' metaphysical views on the relationship between the mind and thought, the nature of reality and how accumulated knowledge and our experiences affect us. First published in 1641, the work consists of six meditations on the following topics: the dubiousness of thoughts and assumptions - as Descartes puts it, 'what can be called into doubt'; the nature of the human mind; the existence of God; truth versus falsehood; the essence of material things and, finally, the difference between mind and body. For anyone interested in the study of philosophy, this is an essential and illuminating read.

This volume also includes the great philosopher's Discourse on the Method, a brilliant discussion of reasoning and experimentation which helped establish the foundations of the scientific process, a selection of enlightening essays from his Principles of Philosophy and a classic introduction by Frank Sewall.

About the author

René Descartes (1596-1650) is best known for his statement on the link between thought and existence: 'Cogito, ergo sum'. A renowned mathematician, philosopher and scientist, Descartes was born in France, but spent some 20 years living in the Dutch Republic, serving in the Dutch States Army of Maurice of Nassau. In addition to Meditations on First Philosophy, he is also known for Discourse on the Method (1637) and Principles of Philosophy (1644).

Frank Sewall (1837-1915) was an American Swedenborgian clergyman with a keen interest in metaphysical philosophy. His publications include The New Metaphysics (1888), Swedenborg and Modern Idealism (1902) and the introduction and notes to Emanual F. Gorqitz's translation of Immanuel Kant's Dreams of a Spirit-Seer (1900).

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