great book, if you already believe in god
this book it's a must even if you don't believe in god. descartes tried to prove the existence of god using the proofs of existing of everything else that's around us. well, i don't believe that god shuld or can be proved by pure logic...cause in a world of pure logic the concept of god wouldn't make any sense. none the less we should get to that conclusion yourself by reading this one !
Difficult Read
This book was translated from old French. It was in English but I could barely make sense of it and i'm into these kinds of books. I don't know whether it was his style that I didn't like or it was just plain hard to read. Could be because it was written so long ago.
This book has words from the 1500's that no one uses anymore. The book discusses the soul and the body. Physics, Astronomy , Medicine and Science. This is 100 pages of heavy stuff. If you are very patient, interested in Philosophy and very smart you may like this book..
Had to write a school term paper
I had to write a school term paper. I chose Mediation. After researching it a bit, I changed the paper's subject. I only looked through this book I have not read it.
The best introduction to modern philosophy in a reliable and cheap edition!
Descartes' meditations really is the place to start for thinking through the philosophical obsessions of the modern era -- the value of skepticism, the nature and extent of knowledge, the relation between mind and body, the role of theology in a rational account of the universe, subjectivity vs. objectivity, the primacy of the subject, freedom, etc.
This is a book that can be read for these themes even by those who are encountering it for the first time without guidance. At the same time this is a book that rewards reading and rereading, not only in the sense that you should read it more than once but that you should come back to it again and again after you have read the other classical works of philosophy that both preceeded it and that it paved the way for. After a serious study of Kant, for example, you may find that you can come back to Descartes and see that much of the work of Kant's critical project was already prepared for in this little treatise. That is not to say that Kant is not original, but that part of Kant's genius is in thinking through and making explicit the scope of the philosophical landscape that was first mapped out in the Meditations.
Classic of Modern Western Philosophy
Rene Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy is arguably the starting point for much of modern western philosophy. This short work comprises approximately 60 pages. Potential buyers should note that it does not include the "Objections and Replies" portion that is available in some other editions.
Although there are many important and helpful philosophical works, Meditations is probably one of the few must read for students of philosophy. Cress' translation does a commendable job of allowing readers to interact with this significant historic text. In Meditations Descartes touches on many key philosophical questions, the role of scepticism, the existence of God and mind-body dualism. This short 17th Century text is by no means an exhaustive examination of these issues - its value is largely the historical context it provides. Its arguements have, however, held up remarkably well over time.
Overall a true classic - I highly recommend it. This short book is a handy reference and good value. Some readers, however, may wish to consider purchasing Meditations as part of a broader collection.
