Read more
This volume draws a balanced picture of the Rationalists by bringing their intellectual contexts, sources and full range of interests into sharper focus, without neglecting their core commitment to the epistemological doctrine that earned them their traditional label. The collection of original essays addresses topics ranging from theodicy and early modern music theory to Spinoza's anti-humanism, often critically revising important aspects of the received picture of the Rationalists. Another important contribution of the volume is that it brings out aspects of Rationalist philosophers and their legacies that are not ordinarily associated with them, such as the project of a Cartesian ethics. Finally, a strong emphasis is placed on the connection of the Rationalists' philosophy to their interests in empirical science, to their engagement in the political life of their era, and to the religious background of many of their philosophical commitments.
List of contents
Introduction; Carlos Fraenkel, Dario Perinetti, Justin E. H. Smith.- Part I: Traditions of Cartesianism.- Ethics in Descartes and Cartesian Textbooks; Roger Ariew.- Loose Cement: Causality and Laws in Cartesian Natural Philosophy; Dennis Des Chene.- Part II: Ancient and Medieval Sources of Early Modern Philosophy.- Music, Mechanics and Mixed Mathematics; Alison Laywine.- The Status of Theology in Averroes, Elijah Delmedigo, and Spinoza: Philosophy s Handmaid or an Independent Discipline?; Carlos Fraenkel.- Part III: Rethinking Spinoza.- Three Myths about Spinoza; Steven Nadler.- Spinoza on Error and the Passions: An Ontological Approach; Syliane Malinowski-Charles.- Nemo non videt : Intuitive Knowledge and the Question of Spinoza s Elitism; Hasana Sharp.- Spinoza on Human Ends; Karolina Hubner.- Spinoza s Anti-Humanism; Yitzhak Melamed.- Part IV: Leibniz: Metaphysician, Biologist, Statesman.- [Conditional Commitment of Paper; Title TBA]; Daniel Garber.- Guerre et paix selon Leibniz; Jérémie Griard.- Leibniz s Principle of the Identity of Indiscernibles: Its Justification and Reach; Brandon C. Look.- Leibniz on Infinite Beings and Non-Beings; Ohad Nachtomy.- Leibniz, Bourguet et le modèle des corps organiques; François Duchesneau.- Bibliography.- Index.
About the author
Carlos Fraenkel is an associate professor in the departments of philosophy and Jewish studies at McGill University in Montreal.
Dario Perinetti is associate professor in the department of philosophy at Université du Québec à Montréal.
Justin E. H. Smith is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. In 2011 he will be a member of the School of Historical Studies at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton.
Summary
This volume draws a balanced picture of the Rationalists by bringing their intellectual contexts, sources and full range of interests into sharper focus, without neglecting their core commitment to the epistemological doctrine that earned them their traditional label. The collection of original essays addresses topics ranging from theodicy and early modern music theory to Spinoza’s anti-humanism, often critically revising important aspects of the received picture of the Rationalists. Another important contribution of the volume is that it brings out aspects of Rationalist philosophers and their legacies that are not ordinarily associated with them, such as the project of a Cartesian ethics. Finally, a strong emphasis is placed on the connection of the Rationalists’ philosophy to their interests in empirical science, to their engagement in the political life of their era, and to the religious background of many of their philosophical commitments.
Additional text
From the reviews:
“This volume opens with a brief, but powerful essay by the editors … and a very welcome one. The aim of the volume … is to recognize and advance developments in our understanding of the ways in which the study of the history of philosophy can be pursued. … provides considerable reason to hope that we can build on the new insights … and arrive at a perspective from which we can better evaluate not only the PSR, but also rationalism itself.” (Michael Della Rocca, Philosophy in Review, Vol. XXXII (5), 2012)
Report
From the reviews:
"This volume opens with a brief, but powerful essay by the editors ... and a very welcome one. The aim of the volume ... is to recognize and advance developments in our understanding of the ways in which the study of the history of philosophy can be pursued. ... provides considerable reason to hope that we can build on the new insights ... and arrive at a perspective from which we can better evaluate not only the PSR, but also rationalism itself." (Michael Della Rocca, Philosophy in Review, Vol. XXXII (5), 2012)
