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Introduction A Philosopher’s Life The Genesis of the Discourse and its Development Galileo, Mersenne, and the Church: Authority and Truth The Publication of the Discourse The Discourse Part Six: The Presentation of the Project Parts One and Two: Intellectual Autobiography Parts Two and Three: Precepts in Philosophy and Ethics Part Four: Metaphysics and Epistemology Part Five: Physics and Physiology The Essays Published With the Discourse: Dioptrics, Meteorology, Geometry Descartes As a Writer Envoi: The Cartesian Philosophical Edice Note on the Text Select Bibliography A Chronology of René Descartes A DISCOURSE ON THE METHOD Part One Part Two Part Three Part Four Part Five Part Six Explanatory notes

Introduction A Philosopher’s Life The Genesis of the Discourse and its Development Galileo, Mersenne, and the Church: Authority and Truth The Publication of the Discourse The Discourse Part Six: The Presentation of the Project Parts One and Two: Intellectual Autobiography Parts Two and Three: Precepts in Philosophy and Ethics Part Four: Metaphysics and Epistemology Part Five: Physics and Physiology The Essays Published With the Discourse: Dioptrics, Meteorology, Geometry Descartes As a Writer Envoi: The Cartesian Philosophical Edice Note on the Text Select Bibliography A Chronology of René Descartes A DISCOURSE ON THE METHOD Part One Part Two Part Three Part Four Part Five Part Six Explanatory notes

1Discourse on the Method of Rightly Conducting One’s Reason and of Seeking Truth

By René Descartes

The Discourse on Method is best known as the source of the famous quotation “cogito ergo sum”, “I think, therefore I am.” …. It is a method which gives a solid platform from which all modern natural sciences could evolve. With this work, the idea of skepticism was revived from the ancients such as Sextus Empiricus and modified to account for a truth that Descartes found to be incontrovertible. Descartes started his line of reasoning by doubting everything, so as to assess the world from a fresh perspective, clear of any preconceived notions. (Summary by Wikipedia)

After several years working on a treatise putting forth his mechanistic philosophy and physics, Descartes shelved the project when his contemporary, Galileo, was charged with heresy. That work, The World, was only published after Descartes’ death. It seems that Descartes must have had this, in part at least, in mind when writing his more famous philosophical works. This is especially clear in the <i>Meditations</i>, not only in the obsequiousness of the Letter of Dedication, but also in the specific mode of argument, which does not seek merely to found science upon grounds acceptable to religious authority, but to specifically found a mathematical science; one which clearly privileges mathematical demonstrations even over common sense judgments based upon everyday and constant experience. His Copernicanism, put forth posthumously in The World, would require just such a defense.<br /><br /> The <i>Meditations</i> are a central work of early modern philosophy, and play a crucial role in the conceptual development of basic perspectives and problems in the Western tradition, including substance dualism, external world skepticism, and the modern notion of the subject.<br /> (Description by D.E. Wittkower)

3Selections from the Principles of Philosophy

By René Descartes

The Principles of Philosophy, originally published in Latin in 1644, and translated to French in 1647, sets forth the principles of nature--the Laws of Physics--as Descartes viewed them. The book provides a systematic statement of natural philosophy and metaphysics, and represents the first truly comprehensive, mechanistic account of the universe. The Selections from the Principles of Philosophy contains the whole of the first part of the book ("Of the Principles of Human Knowledge"), as well as selections from the second ("Of the Principles of Material Things"), third ("Of the Visible World"), and fourth part ("Of the Earth") of the book. (Foon)

4Six Metaphysical Meditations

By René Descartes

These are six meditations by the French philosopher Rene Descartes, best known for his conclusion "Cogito, ergro sum" "I Think, therefore I exist". They are called meditations because he clearly describes his deep reasoning on each topic. Each topic has objections made by Thomas Hobbs and Descartes' responses. The six topics are<br> Of Things Doubtful<br> Of the Nature of Mans Mind, and that ’tis easier Proved to Be then our Body<br> Of God, and that there Is a God<br> Of Truth and Falsehood<br> Of the Essence of Things Material, and herein again of God, and that He does Exist.<br> Of Corporeal Beings and their Existence, as also of the Real Difference between Mind and Body<br> (Summary by phil chenevert)