Descartes’ Meditations

No single text could be considered more important in the history of philosophy than Descartes’ Meditations. This unique collection of background material to this magisterial philosophical text has been translated from the original French and Latin. The texts gathered here illustrate the kinds of principles, assumptions, and philosophical methods that were commonplace when Descartes was growing up. The selections are from: Francisco Sanches, Christopher Clavius, Pierre de la Ramee (Petrus Ramus), Francisco Suárez, Pierre Charron, Eustachius a Sancto Paulo, Scipion Dupleix, Marin Mersenne, Pierre Gassendi, Jean de Silhon, François de la Mothe le Vayer, Charles Sorel, and Jean-Baptiste Morin.

• Unique collection of texts never before translated that provide the intellectual context to Descartes’ Meditations, one of the most important of all philosophical texts • Intended to help teach the history of philosophy • Helpful introduction and annotation

Introduction; 1. That nothing is known Francisco Sanches; 2. The promotion of mathematics Christopher Clavius; 3. Dialectic Petrus Ramus; 4. Metaphysical disputations Francisco Suárez; 5. Wisdom Pierre Charron; 6. A compendium of philosophy in four parts Eustachius a Sancto Paulo; 7. Corpus of philosophy Scipion Dupleix; 8. The use of reason: the impiety of the deists: the truth of the sciences Marin Mersenne; 9. Unorthodox essays against the Aristotelians Pierre Gassendi; 10. The two truths: the immortality of the soul Jean de Silhon; 11. Dialogue on the diversity of religions: little skeptical treatise François de La Mothe le Vayer; 12. Universal science Charles Sorel; 13. That God exists Jean-Baptiste Morin; Appendix: condemnations of Cartesianism; Notes; Bibliography; Comparative table of passages from Meditations.