A Beginners Guide to Descartess Meditations

René Descartes’s Meditations on the First Philosophy is undeniably one of the most important works in Western philosophy. First published in 1641, it contains the bulk of Descartes’s central philosophical opinions, making it an ideal introduction to the founding father of modern philosophy.

A Beginner’s Guide to Descartes’s Meditations offers a concise and readable summary of the Meditations, geared toward students embarking on their studies (at A–level, or on undergraduate degree courses) and general readers. Well–illustrated with tables, diagrams, and images, it provides a clear explanation of the seventeenth century text’s central themes, ideas, and terminology. The guide balances critical analyses of Descartes′ main arguments with discussion of his correspondence with his contemporaries (the Objections and Replies) and subsequent criticism. It also provides references to further readings, films, and literature that contain similar philosophical themes. A glossary of difficult terms and relevant biographical and historical information make A Beginner’s Guide to Descartes’s Meditations an ideal companion for those new to the study of philosophy.

List of Illustrations and Tables.

Acknowledgments.

Introduction.

1. Background.

2. Explanation and Summary of Main Arguments.

Introduction.

Meditation I: About the Things We May Doubt.

Meditation II: Of the Nature of the Human Mind; and that it is Easier to Know than the Body.

Meditation III: Of God; that He Exists.

Meditation IV: Of Truth and Error.

Meditation V: Of the Essence of Material Things; and, Once More of God, that He Exists.

Meditation VI: Of the Existence of Material Things, and of the Real Distinction between the Soul and the Body of Man.

3. Critical Themes.

Introduction.

Objections and Replies.

Certainty and Doubt.

Dualism.

The Existence of God.

Rationalism vs. Empiricism.

Foundationalism and the Cartesian Circle.

Notes.

Appendix A: Overview of the Meditations.

Appendix B: Selected Summaries of Objections and Replies.

Glossary.

Bibliography and Suggested Reading.

Index

Gareth Southwell taught at Swansea College of Further Education between 1998 and 2005, where he also developed online learning materials and educational websites. In his spare time, he developed PhilosophyOnline, the popular resource for both teachers and students. A graduate in English and Philosophy from Swansea University, Southwell is an assistant examiner for AQA, and is about to complete a PhD in philosophy. He also works as a freelance illustrator and has regularly published caricatures in The Philosophers′ Magazine.

"As the costs of textbooks continue to soar without surcease we should be grateful to Southwell and Blackwell Publishing for producing such a highly effective teaching tool for just under twenty dollars." ( International Philosophical Quarterly, 2010)

"[Readers] will find the book an entertaining, unfussy explanation of Descartes′s philosophy." ( The Philosopher, Spring 2008)