Meditations on First Philosophy

by René Descartes
Meditations on First Philosophy cover
Good Books rating 4.37
Technical:
  • ID: 245
  • Added: 2025-09-06
  • Updated: 2025-09-10
  • ISBN: 9783989889569
  • Published: 2024-05-09
  • Formats: 10
  • Reviews: 3
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Waterstones
Paperback • £10.99

René Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy is a seminal text in Western philosophy that embarks on a rigorous intellectual journey to rebuild knowledge from the ground up through radical doubt. Descartes systematically questions all beliefs that could be doubted—from sensory experiences to mathematical truths—introducing his method of skepticism to find absolute certainty. The text explores fundamental topics such as the nature of existence, the mind-body dualism, and the existence of God, which continue to influence contemporary philosophical debates. This edition features a modern translation alongside a timeline of Descartes' life, a glossary of Cartesian terms, and an afterword that situates his work within the broader history of Western thought. Descartes’ emphasis on clear, logical reasoning and his arguments for the reality of the external world and a non-deceptive God have profoundly shaped the development of modern science and philosophy, marking a shift from reliance on tradition to critical inquiry and rationalism.

Reviews
1000-Word Philosophy · 2025-09-06
rigorous 4.30

Descartes' Meditations are recognized for raising fundamental philosophical issues about knowledge and the self, using methodical doubt to reject sensory beliefs and seek indubitable truths.

This review appreciates Descartes' radical approach to skepticism, where he systematically doubts all beliefs that could be false to secure absolute certainty. The reviewer notes how Descartes extends doubt even to seemingly self-evident truths, considering the possibility of deception by an evil genius. They highlight the Meditations' enduring importance in philosophy for addressing deep questions about the nature of knowledge, mind, and reality through rigorous argumentation.

Quick quotes

    His strategy is to doubt any belief he has that could be false or that he could be mistaken about.

    If he were asleep and dreaming, many of his beliefs would be false.

    He rejects even these beliefs because he could be deceived by some evil genius or even God.

SparkNotes · 2025-09-06
thoughtful 4.20

The text is examined as a rigorous philosophical exercise in radical doubt, where Descartes aims to demolish false beliefs to find a firm foundation for knowledge, stressing methodical skepticism.

The reviewer focuses on how Descartes uses methodical doubt as a tool to question the reliability of sensory experience and the foundations of knowledge itself. They emphasize the purpose of clearing away uncertain beliefs to rebuild knowledge on more certain grounds, highlighting the intellectual discipline behind Descartes' skepticism. The review points out that Descartes' skepticism is not random but rational and motivated by the goal of finding absolutely certain truths.

Quick quotes

    He wants to persuade his Aristotelian readers to start again from the foundations, building up his knowledge once more on more certain grounds.

    He might cast them all into doubt if he can doubt the foundations and basic principles upon which his opinions are founded.

    He acknowledges that insane people might be more deceived, but that he is clearly not one of them and needn't worry himself about that.

LitCharts · 2025-09-06
influential 4.60

The work is praised for presenting a foundational intellectual journey to establish a systematic, scientific understanding of the world through rational deduction, emphasizing the certainty of self-existence and the existence of God.

This review highlights Descartes' ambition to rebuild knowledge from scratch by doubting all previous beliefs, which leads to the famous conclusion that the self exists as a thinking entity. It underscores the book's lasting significance in philosophy and science, especially for pioneering the view that knowledge must rest on clear and distinct ideas, forming the basis of the modern scientific method. The reviewer appreciates the systematic approach Descartes uses to challenge assumptions and establish a rigorous foundation for knowledge.

Quick quotes

    Descartes takes the reader on an intellectual journey in order to demonstrate how scholars can build a systematic, scientific understanding of the world through rational deduction.

    He famously concludes that he can still be certain of one thing: his own existence.

    His work has left a deep impact on philosophy and science ever since.

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