The Cambridge Companion to Malebranche

The French philosopher and theologian Nicolas Malebranche was one of the most important thinkers of the early modern period. A bold and unorthodox thinker, he tried to synthesize the new philosophy of Descartes with religious Platonism. This is the first collection of essays to address Malebranche’s thought comprehensively and systematically. There are chapters devoted to Malebranche’s metaphysics, his doctrine of the soul, his epistemology, the celebrated debate with Arnauld, his philosophical method, his occasionalism and theory of causality, his philosophical theology, his account of freedom, his moral philosophy, and his intellectual legacy.

• Comprehensive treatment of Malebranche’s philosophy • First volume to treat work of Malebranche systematically • Accessible to undergraduate students

Introduction Steven Nadler; 1. Malebranche and method Thomas M. Lennon; 2. Malebranche on the soul Nicholas Jolley; 3. Malebranche on ideas and the vision in God Tad M. Schmaltz; 4. The Malebranche-Arnauld debate Denis Moreau; 5. Malebranche on causation Steven Nadler; 6. Metaphysics and philosophy Jean-Christophe Bardout; 7. Malebranche’s theodicy Donald Rutherford; 8. Malebranche on human freedom Elmar J. Kremer; 9. Malebranche’s moral philosophy: divine and human justice Patrick Riley; 10. The critical reception of Malebranche, from his own time to the end of the eighteenth century Stuart Brown; 11. Malebranche’s life and legacy André Robinet.

‘This volume is an outstanding contribution to the history of philosophy: it illuminates Malebranche’s doctrines for new readers and offers insights that will intrigue specialists.’

– The Philosophical Quarterly