Descartes and Augustine

This book is the first systematic study of Descartes’ relation to Augustine. It offers a complete reevaluation of Descartes’ thought and as such will be of major importance to all historians of medieval, neo-Platonic, or early modern philosophy. Stephen Menn demonstrates that Descartes uses Augustine’s central ideas as a point of departure for a critique of medieval Aristotelian physics, which he replaces with a new, mechanistic anti-Aristotelian physics. Special features of the book include a reading of the Meditations, a comprehensive historical and philosophical introduction to Augustine’s thought, a detailed account of Plotinus, and a contextualization of Descartes’ mature philosophical project which explores both the framework within which it evolved and the early writings, to show how the collapse of the early project drove Descartes to the writings of Augustine.

• Major study of roots of Descartes’ philosophy and Descartes remains one of the most widely taught philosophers worldwide • Book also includes important introduction to the philosophy of both Augustine and Plotinus • Should sell well internationally, not just in the US

Introduction; 1. Descartes and the history of philosophy; 2. Descartes’ project for a new philosophy; Part I. Augustinian Wisdom: 3. Plotinus; 4. Augustine; Part II. Descartes’ Metaphysics: 5. The design of the Meditations; 6. Isolating the soul and God; 7. Theodicy and Method; 8. From God to bodies; 9. Conclusion.