Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy: An Edinburgh Philosophical Guide

Descartes' Meditations is one of the most commonly studied texts in introductory philosophy courses. Rather than simply telling the reader what to think, Meditations invites them to undertake a philosophical journey for themselves. This book is designed to accompany readers on that journey; it prepares them for its demands, helps them to engage with each stage of the text, and suggests ways through the more difficult passages. Brandhorst offers students a fresh approach by bringing to life the path of self-discovery encapsulated in the work and maintaining the focus on metaphysics. Readers are guided through the text step-by-step, which encourages careful reading and presents them with the opportunity to learn to philosophise for themselves. This book engages with what the text says, rather than what is said about the text, in order to help readers discover - or rediscover - for themselves what Meditations has to say.

Key Features

• Provides a summary of the text and its key ideas
• Summarises the historical context of Descartes's seminal work
• Includes a guide to further reading and study