Series | Book
Descartes-agonistes
physico-mathematics, method & corpuscular-mechanism 1618-33
Abstract
This book reconstructs key aspects of the early career of Descartes from 1618 to 1633; that is, up through the point of his composing his first system of natural philosophy, Le Monde, in 1629-33. It focuses upon the overlapping and intertwined development of Descartes' projects in physico-mathematics, analytical mathematics, universal method, and, finally, systematic corpuscular-mechanical natural philosophy. The concern is not simply with the conceptual and technical aspects of these projects; but, with Descartes' agendas within them and his construction and presentation of his intellectual identity in relation to them. Descartes' technical projects, agendas and senses of identity shifted over time, entangled and displayed great successes and deep failures, as he morphed from a mathematically competent, Jesuit trained graduate in neo-Scholastic Aristotelianism to aspiring prophet of a systematised corpuscular-mechanism, passing through stages of being a committed physico-mathematicus, advocate of a putative "universal mathematics", and projector of a grand methodological dream. In all three dimensions—projects, agendas and identity concerns—the young Descartes struggled and contended, with himself and with real or virtual peers and competitors, hence the title "Descartes-Agonistes".
Details | Table of Contents
problems of Descartes and the scientific revolution
pp.1-29
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4746-3_1natural philosophy, mixed mathematics, physico-mathematics, method
pp.31-98
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4746-3_2Descartes, physico-mathematicus
pp.99-166
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4746-3_3the optical triumph of the 1620s
pp.167-223
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4746-3_4Descartes' identity and agenda entering the 1620s
pp.225-264
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4746-3_5pp.265-305
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4746-3_6the program of the later regulaeand its collapse 1626–1628
pp.307-348
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4746-3_7Descartes, physico-mathematical philosopher of nature 1629–1633
pp.349-423
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4746-3_8Descartes' vortical celestial mechanics and cosmological optics in le monde
pp.453-524
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4746-3_10pp.525-541
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4746-3_11pp.543-588
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4746-3_12the young and the mature Descartes agonistes
pp.589-601
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4746-3_13Publication details
Publisher: Springer
Place: Dordrecht
Year: 2013
Pages: 631
Series: Studies in History and Philosophy of Science
Series volume: 27
DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-4746-3
ISBN (hardback): 978-94-007-4745-6
ISBN (digital): 978-94-007-4746-3
Full citation:
Schuster John (2013) Descartes-agonistes: physico-mathematics, method & corpuscular-mechanism 1618-33. Dordrecht, Springer.