Last edited by Alan Millar
October 18, 2010 | History
René Descartes
31 March 1596 - 11 February 1650
René Descartes, also known as Renatus Cartesius, was a French philosopher, mathematician, physicist, and writer who spent most of his adult life in the Dutch Republic. He has been dubbed the "Father of Modern Philosophy", and much of subsequent Western philosophy is a response to his writings, which continue to be studied closely to this day. In particular, his Meditations on First Philosophy continues to be a standard text at most university philosophy departments. Descartes' influence in mathematics is also apparent; the Cartesian coordinate system—allowing geometric shapes to be expressed in algebraic equations—was named after him. He is credited as the father of analytical geometry. Descartes was also one of the key figures in the Scientific Revolution.
Descartes frequently sets his views apart from those of his predecessors. In the opening section of the Passions of the Soul, a treatise on the Early Modern version of what are now commonly called emotions, Descartes goes so far as to assert that he will write on this topic "as if no one had written on these matters before". Many elements of his philosophy have precedents in late Aristotelianism, the revived Stoicism of the 16th century, or in earlier philosophers like St. Augustine. In his natural philosophy, he differs from the Schools on two major points: First, he rejects the analysis of corporeal substance into matter and form; second, he rejects any appeal to ends—divine or natural—in explaining natural phenomena. In his theology, he insists on the absolute freedom of God’s act of creation.1
384 works Add another?
Most Editions | First Published | Most Recent
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Discours de la méthode
159 editions - first published in 1644 Read -
Meditationes de prima philosophia
56 editions - first published in 1642 Borrow -
Principia philosophiae
28 editions - first published in 1644 -
Oeuvres de Descartes
27 editions - first published in 1842 Read -
Regulae ad directionem ingenii
20 editions - first published in 1899 -
Philosophical writings: a selection
18 editions - first published in 1952 Borrow -
Discours de la methode
17 editions - first published in 1637 -
Descartes
17 editions - first published in 1909 Read -
Les passions de l'âme
15 editions - first published in 1937 -
Opera philosophica
15 editions - first published in 1650 -
Oeuvres..
13 editions - first published in 1964 -
OEuvres, publiées par Charles Adam & Paul Tannery sous les auspices du Ministère de l'instruction publique
13 editions - first published in 1897 Read -
Oeuvres et lettres
11 editions - first published in 1937 -
Musicae compendium
11 editions - first published in 1653 -
The philosophical works of Descartes
9 editions - first published in 1911 -
Descartes par lui-même
8 editions - first published in 1956 -
Discurso del Metodo
8 editions - first published in 1987 -
Œuvres de Descartes
8 editions - first published in 1857 Read -
Meditations Metaphysiques
8 editions - first published in 1970 -
The Meditations, and selections from the Principles, of René Descartes (1596-1650)
8 editions - first published in 1903 Borrow -
Selections: Edited by Ralph M. Eaton.
8 editions - first published in 1927 Borrow -
The Essential Descartes (Essentials)
7 editions - first published in 1969 -
Règles pour la direction de l'esprit
7 editions - first published in 1945 -
Descartes' philosophical writings
7 editions - first published in 1952 Borrow -
Les passions de l'ame
6 editions - first published in 1649 -
Oeuvres philosophiques de Descartes
5 editions - first published in 1834 Read -
Discourse on the method
5 editions - first published in 1996 -
Meditations of First Philosophy
5 editions - first published in 2004 -
The method, meditations and philosophy of Descartes
5 editions - first published in 1901 Read -
The living thoughts of Descartes
4 editions - first published in 1947 -
Essays
4 editions - first published in 1965 -
The philosophical writings of Descartes
4 editions - first published in 1984 -
Oeuvres philosophiques: [Textes établis, présentés et annotés par Ferdinand Alquié]
4 editions - first published in 1963 -
Philosophical letters: translated and edited by Anthony Kenny.
4 editions - first published in 1970 -
Meditaciones Metafisicas
3 editions - first published in 1994 -
Discurso del Metodo / Meditaciones Metafisicas
3 editions - first published in 2000 -
Descartes, 1596-1650
3 editions - first published in 1946 -
Pensées de Descartes, sur la religion et la morale
3 editions - first published in 1811 Read -
La géométrie de René Descartes
3 editions - first published in 1886 -
The Method, Meditations, and selections from the Principles of Descartes
3 editions - first published in 1883 Read -
Geometria
3 editions - first published in 1649 -
Renatus Des Cartes de homine
3 editions - first published in 1662 -
Discours de la méthode pour bien conduire sa raison et chercher la vérité dans les sciences: extraits des Méditations métaphysiques, Discours du Père Guénard sur l'esprit philosophique
3 editions - first published in 1824 -
Rules for the direction of the mind: Discourse on the method.
3 editions - first published in 1955 -
Les pages immortelles de Descartes
3 editions - first published in 1941 -
Correspondance
3 editions - first published in 1936 -
Descartes par lui-meme
3 editions - first published in 1961 -
Treatise of man
3 editions - first published in 1972 -
Oeuvres choisies de Descartes
3 editions - first published in 1865 -
A discourse of a method for the well guiding of reason and the discovery of truth in the sciences
3 editions - first published in 1649 -
Correspondance avec Elisabeth et autres lettres
3 editions - first published in 1989 -
Euvres de Descartes
3 editions - first published in 2001 -
R. Des-Cartes opuscula posthuma, physica et mathematica
3 editions - first published in 1969 -
Œuvres choisies de Descartes
3 editions - first published in 1860 Read -
Discourse on Method and Meditations
3 editions - first published in 1960 Borrow -
Renati Descartes Epistolæ
3 editions - first published in 1668 -
Discourse on the Method of Rightly
3 editions - first published in 2004 -
Philosophical Essays and Correspondence (Descartes) (Hackett Publishing Co.)
2 editions - first published in 2000 -
Meditaciones Metafisicas/metaphysical Meditations
2 editions - first published in 2004 -
Las Pasiones del Alma
2 editions - first published in 1998 -
Méditations: avec une notice biographique, une notice historique et littéraire, des notes explicatives, des jugements un questionnaire et des sujets de devoirs
2 editions - first published in 1950 -
Essential works of Descartes
2 editions - first published in 1961 -
A Discourse of a method for the well guiding of reason and the discovery of truth in the sciences, 1649
2 editions - first published in 1966 -
Die Leidenschaften der Seele
2 editions - first published in 1984 -
Lettres sur la morale
2 editions - first published in 1935 -
Essential works
2 editions - first published in 1966 -
Lettres
2 editions - first published in 1964 -
Epistolae, partim ab auctore Latino sermone conscriptae, partim ex Gallico translatae: Pars prima(-secunda).
2 editions - first published in 1668 -
Lettre-préface des "Principes de la philosophie"
2 editions - first published in 1996 -
Le discours de la méthode: texte intégral
2 editions - first published in 1965 -
Discours de la méthode ; Méditations métaphysiques ; Traité des passions
2 editions - first published in 1900 -
Epistolae omnes
2 editions - first published in 1692 -
Descartes' Conversation with Burman
2 editions - first published in 1976 -
Epistolae, partim ab auctore latino sermone conscriptae..: partim ex Gallico translatae. In quibus omnis generis quaestiones philosophicae tractantur, & explicantur plurimae difficultates quae in reliquis ejus operibus occurrunt.
2 editions - first published in 1668 -
Descartes, his moral philosophy and psychology
2 editions - first published in 1978 -
Le monde, ou, Traité de la lumière: Die Welt, oder, Ahandlung über das Licht
2 editions - first published in 1979 -
Lettres à Regius et remarques sur l'explication de l'esprit humain
2 editions - first published in 1959 -
Descartes, ou, le Combat pour la verite
2 editions - first published in 1966 -
Discours de la méthode, suivi des "Méditations"
2 editions - first published in 1973 -
Discours de la methode & essais
2 editions - first published in 1965 -
The method, Meditations, and selections from the Principles: Translated from the original texts, with a new introductory essay historical and critical
2 editions - first published in 1907 -
OEuvres de Descartes, publiées
2 editions - first published in 1824 Read -
Meditations, objections, and replies
2 editions - first published in 2006 -
Renati Des-Cartes Ethice: in methodum & compendium, gratia studiosæ juventutis, concinnata
2 editions - first published in 1685 -
Passiones animae
2 editions - first published in 1656 -
Philosophische Werke
2 editions - first published in 1907 -
Principes: Traduction française
2 editions - first published in 2000 -
Opuscula posthuma, physica et mathematica
2 editions - first published in 1701 -
The Passions of the Soul: An English Translation of Les Passions De L'Ame
2 editions - first published in 1989 -
L' homme: ... et la formation du foetus...
2 editions - first published in 1686 -
Discurso del método
2 editions - first published in 1954 -
Les méditations métaphysiques: Texte, traduction, objections et réponses présentés par Florence Khodoss.
2 editions - first published in 1932 -
The philosophy of Descartes in extracts from his writings
2 editions - first published in 1892 Read -
La géométrie
2 editions - first published in 1886 Read -
regulae Ad Directionem Ingenii
2 editions - first published in 1998 -
Renati Des-Cartes Principia philosophie
2 editions - first published in 1644 -
Renati Des-Cartes Principia philosophiæ
2 editions - first published in 1650 -
The Correspondence between Princess Elisabeth of Bohemia and Rene Descartes (The Other Voice in Early Modern Europe)
2 editions - first published in 2007 -
Discourse on method, and Metaphysical meditations: [Translated by G.B. Rawlings]
2 editions - first published in 1901 Read -
Entretien avec Burman: manuscrit de Göttingen
2 editions - first published in 1937
René Descartes
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Subjects
Accessible book,
Science,
Early works to 1800,
Philosophy,
Methodology,
Metaphysics,
Protected DAISY,
Emotions,
First philosophy,
Collected works,
In library,
Geometry,
Physiology,
Ethics,
Mind and body,
Correspondence,
Early works to 1850,
Acoustics and physics,
French Philosophy,
Meteors,
Modern Philosophy,
Music,
Reasoning,
Refraction,
Symbolic and mathematical Logic
People
René Descartes (1596-1650),
Frans Burman (1628-1679),
Elisabeth Countess Palatine (1618-1680),
Rene Descartes (1596-1650),
Samuel S. de Sacy,
Christina Queen of Sweden (1626-1689),
Gijsbert Voet (1589-1676),
Henricus Regius (1598-1679),
Laurence Julien Lafleur (1907-1966),
Pierre Hector Chanut sieur de Bisches (1604-1667),
René Descartes (1596-1650,)
2 Lists Details
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Rithöfundur
from Jon Valur Gumundsson
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INDIMAR
from Ival Rocca (h)
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Alternative names
- Descartes R
- Rene Descartes
- René Descartes
- Rene, Descartes
- Rene? Descartes
- René Descartes
- Descartes
- Renâe Descartes
- ReneÌ Descartes
- Descartes Rene
- Rene Decartes
- RenE Descartes.
- René Decartes
- René Déscartes
- Renee Descartes
- Descartes, René, 1596-1650.
History Created April 1, 2008 · 6 revisions
| October 18, 2010 | Edited by Alan Millar | merge authors |
| June 2, 2010 | Edited by Lance Arthur | merge authors |
| June 2, 2010 | Edited by Lance Arthur | Add bio, fix dates |
| April 12, 2010 | Edited by Open Library Bot | Added photos to author pages. |
| April 1, 2008 | Created by an anonymous user | initial import |