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Philosophy & Religious Studies   >   Descartes: Meditations on First Philosophy

The Father of Modern Philosophy

 
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Descartes: Meditations on First Philosophy

In this course, Professor Cottingham (University of Reading) explores René Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy. In the first module, we provide a brief introduction to Descartes himself and his philosophical system, as described in his Discourse on the Method. After that, we move through the Meditations themselves, focusing in turn on Descartes' method of doubt, his famous philosophical proposition cogito ergo sum, his belief in the existence of God and the reliability of science, and his understanding of the relationship between the body and the mind, a position known today as Cartesian dualism.

The Father of Modern Philosophy

This module provides a brief introduction to Descartes himself, focusing in particular on his overall approach to philosophy as described in his Discourse on the Method (1638).

Cite this Lecture

APA style

Cottingham, J. (2018, August 15). Descartes: Meditations on First Philosophy - The Father of Modern Philosophy [Video]. MASSOLIT. https://massolit.io/courses/descartes-meditations-on-first-philosophy/the-father-of-modern-philosophy

MLA style

Cottingham, J. "Descartes: Meditations on First Philosophy – The Father of Modern Philosophy." MASSOLIT, uploaded by MASSOLIT, 15 Aug 2018, https://massolit.io/courses/descartes-meditations-on-first-philosophy/the-father-of-modern-philosophy

Lecturer

Prof. John Cottingham

Prof. John Cottingham

Reading University