Descartes : the life and times of a genius

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Title:

Author:

Grayling, A. C.

ISBN:

9780802715012

Personal Author:

Grayling, A. C.

Edition:

1st U.S. ed.

Publication Information:

New York : Walker & Co., 2006.

Physical Description:

303 p., [16] p. of plates : ill. (some col.), col. map ; 25 cm.

General Note:

Reprint. Originally published: Descartes : the life of René Descartes and its place in his times. London : Free Press, 2005.

Contents:

Who was Descartes? -- The awakening -- A night of dreams -- The mystery of the rosy cross -- Nine years of travel -- Animals on the moon -- Francine -- The shape of snow -- Descartes Contra Voetius -- The princess of the passions -- The queen of winter.

Abstract:

Examines the life of René Descartes, the seminal scientist, mathematician, traveler, soldier, and spy who transformed seventeenth-century Europe and became the father of modern philosophy.

Personal Subject:

Descartes, René, 1596-1650.

Subject Term:

Philosophers -- France -- Biography.

Science -- Philosophy -- History -- 17th century.

Geographic Term:

France -- Intellectual life -- 17th century.

Europe -- Intellectual life -- 17th century.

Copies:

Available:*

Library	Material Type	Item Barcode	Shelf Number	Copy	Status
Searching... 1:IIEMSA	1:GEN-BOOK	33168025513058	194 G778D 2005	1	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

Scientist, mathematician, traveler, soldier--and spy--Rene Descartes was one of the founders of the modern world. His life coincided with an extraordinary time in history: the first half of the miraculous seventeenth century, replete with genius in the arts and sciences, and wracked by civil and international conflicts across Europe. But at his birth in 1596 the world was still dominated by medieval beliefs in phenomena such as miracles and spontaneous generation. It was Descartes who identified the intellectual tools his peers needed to free themselves from the grip of religious authority and in doing so he founded modern philosophy.
In this new biography, A. C. Grayling tells the story of Descartes' life, and places it in his tumultuous times--with the unexpected result that an entirely new aspect of the story comes to light.