Descartes' System of Natural Philosophy

This book is a comprehensive examination of Descartes' complete philosophical system.

Stephen Gaukroger (Author)

9780521005258, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 18 March 2002

268 pages, 27 b/w illus.
22.9 x 15.3 x 1.9 cm, 0.434 kg

' … the book is much recommended. Descartes' System performs a badly needed job proficiently, and everyone who cares about Descartes or early modern natural philosophy should read it.' Oxford Academic Journals

Towards the end of his life, Descartes published the first four parts of a projected six-part work, The Principles of Philosophy. This was intended to be the definitive statement of his complete system of philosophy, dealing with everything from cosmology to the nature of human happiness. In this book, Stephen Gaukroger examines the whole system, and reconstructs the last two parts, 'On Living Things' and 'On Man', from Descartes' other writings. He relates the work to the tradition of late Scholastic textbooks which it follows, and also to Descartes' other philosophical writings, and he examines the ways in which Descartes transformed not only the practice of natural philosophy but also our understanding of what it is to be a philosopher. His book is a comprehensive examination of Descartes' complete philosophical system.

Introduction
1. Before the Principia
2. The scholastic textbook tradition
3. Part I: the principles of knowledge
4. Part II: the principles of material objects
5. Part III: the visible universe
6. Part IV: the earth
7. Part V: living things
8. Part VI: man.

Subject Areas: Philosophy of science [PDA]