Descartes: Selected Philosophical Writings

By (author) Descartes, René; Edited by Cottingham, John; Edited by Stoothoff Robert; Edited by Murdoch Dugald; Edited by Kenny Anthony
Description
Based on the new and much acclaimed two-volume Cambridge edition of The Philosophical Writings of Descartes by Cottingham, Stoothoff and Murdoch, this anthology of essential texts contains the most important and widely studied of those writings, including the Discourse and Meditations and substantial extracts from the Regulae, Optics, Principles, Objectives and Replies, Comments on a Broadsheet, and Passions of the Soul. In clear, readable, modern English, with a full text and running references to the standard Franco-Latin edition of Descartes, this book is planned as the definitive one-volume reader for all English-speaking students of Descartes.
Table of contents
1. General introduction; 2. Chronological table of Descartes'' life and works; 3. Rules for the direction of our native intelligence; 4. Discourse on the method; 5. Optics; 6. Meditations on first philosophy; 7. Objections and replies; 8. Principles of philosophy; 9. Comments on a certain broadsheet; 10. The passions of the soul; Index.
Review quote
''This new translation is designed as a replacement for the old but still widely used translation by Elizabeth Haldane and G. R. T. Ross … Unlike the Haldane and Ross edition which was translated from a composite text based on both the French and Latin editions, the present translation is made from the Latin text alone, with significant changes in the French edition indicated in the footnotes. This is clearly much more satisfactory. The translation is generally accurate, and is neither excessively free nor excessively literal … There is little doubt that this will become the standard translation of Descartes'' philosophical writings, and it deserves a warm welcome.'' French Studies
Promotional headline
This book is planned as the definitive one-volume reader for all English-speaking students of Descartes.