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Descartes in 90 Minutes
Rene Descartes spent most of his childhood in solitude, a situation that also came to characterize his adult life. Happily, these countless lonely hours helped Descartes produce the declaration that changed all philosophy: "I think, therefore I am." Eventually convincing himself to doubt and disregard sensory knowledge, Descartes found he could prove his existence through his thoughts. This internal information, he believed, was the true reality; external forces were hopelessly deceiving. In Descartes in 90 Minutes, Paul Strathern offers a concise, expert account of Descartes's life and ideas, and explains their influence on man's struggle to understand his existence in the world. The book also includes selections from Descartes's work; a brief list of suggested reading for those who wish to push further; and chronologies that place Descartes within his own age and in the broader scheme of philosophy.
Book Details
- Publisher: Ivan R. Dee Publisher
- Publish Date: Sep 1st, 1996
- Pages: 91
- Language: English
- Edition: undefined - undefined
- Dimensions: 8.04in - 5.07in - 0.30in - 0.21lb
- EAN: 9781566631297
- Categories: • History & Surveys - General• Logic
About the Author
Strathern, Paul: -
Paul Strathern was born in London in 1940. He studied physics, chemistry, and math at Trinity College, Dublin, before switching to philosophy. He is the author of several novels, including A Season in Abyssinia, which won a Somerset Maugham prize, and two highly successful series of short introductory books, Philosophers in 90 Minutes and The Big Idea: Scientists Who Changed the World. Paul Strathern lectures in philosophy and science at Kingston University.
Praise for this book
Well-written, clear and informed, they have a breezy wit about them...I find them hard to stop reading.--Richard Bernstein "The New York Times"
Witty, illuminating, and blessedly concise.--Jim Holt "The Wall Street Journal"
Each of these little books is witty and dramatic and creates a sense of time, place, and character...I cannot think of a better way to introduce oneself and one's friends to Western civilization.--Katherine A. Powers "The Boston Globe"
A godsend in this era of the short attention span.--Daryl Royster Alexander "The New York Times"
Paul Strathern offers a concise, expert account of Descartes' life and ideas.-- "Audible.Com"