Descartes was an original mathematician, co-discoverer of the sine-law of refraction, inventor (or promoter) of a mechanical calculating device, a physiologist who predicted he would cure aging before he got old, the first author of modern textbook of physics to treat the celestial and terrestrial worlds as the same in kind, and a preeminent metaphysician. He also wrote and produced a ballet for the Queen of Sweden, entitled "The Birth of Peace." He was intellectually well-rounded.

Often in philosophy courses we read his metaphysical and epistemological works independently of his "scientific" efforts. Yet he wrote what we call his "philosophical" works in the service of his larger program to establish a new vision of the natural world. He did metaphysics in order to justify a new theory of nature. This suggests that, at the least, we will be danger of missing the point of his metaphysics if we examine it out of context. More importantly, his new vision of nature is itself of "philosophical" breadth (if philosophy is, to paraphrase Sellars, the study of the way things, in general, hang together, in general).

In this course we will first read early statements of Descartes' general philosophical program in the Rules for Directing the Mind and Discourse on the Method. Then we will study his principal metaphysical work, the Meditations on First Philosophy. Finally, we will follow out his new vision of the natural world in The World, Treatise on Man, Passions, and Optics.

Students will have the opportunity to engage in discussion in a seminar format. There will be two short papers (four pages, due Wed., Sept. 15, and Thurs, Oct. 28), a longer paper on an approved topic of the student's choosing (8-10 pages, due Tues, Dec. 7), and a final examination (essay format).

Reading Guides
Reading Guide I (Weeks 1-4)
Reading Guide II (Weeks 5-8)
Reading Guide III (Weeks 9-12)
Reading Guide IV (Weeks 13-15)

Required Books
Descartes, Selected Philosophical Writings, Cambridge University Press.
Descartes, The World: And Other Writings, Cambridge University Press.

Books may be purchased at the Penn Book Center (on 34th Street near Samson). Additional readings will be available on reserve in Rosengarten.

Brief schedule
Week 1, Sept. 9, Introduction.
Week 2, Sept. 14, Rules [to Rule 12].
Week 2, Sept. 16, Discourse [all].
Week 3, Sept. 21, Meditations, I.
Week 3, Sept. 23, Meditations, II.
Week 4, Sept. 28, Meditations, II/III.
Week 4, Sept. 30, Meditations, III.
Weeks 5-7, Meditations, IV-VI.
Weeks 8-9, World and Principles.
Weeks 10-11, Treatise on Man.
Week 12, Passions.
Week 13, Optics.
Week 14, Descartes' legacy.