The Oxford Handbook of Descartes and Cartesianism is a comprehensive collection of fifty specially written chapters that delve into the life and work of René Descartes (1596-1650) and the pervasive influence of Cartesianism during the seventeenth century. Edited by Steven Nadler, this volume offers insights from leading scholars in early modern philosophy. The first part explores various facets of Descartes’s biography, including his background, intellectual contexts, writings, and correspondence, alongside detailed examinations of his epistemology, method, metaphysics, physics, mathematics, moral philosophy, political thought, medical thought, and aesthetics. The second part focuses on the evolution of Cartesian ideas through subsequent generations of philosophers in France, the Netherlands, Italy, and beyond. Lastly, the third section examines the opposition to Cartesianism from other thinkers as well as civil, ecclesiastic, and academic authorities. This handbook provides an extensive overview of Cartesianism’s doctrines, legacies, and fortunes during its historical period, grounded in the latest research findings.
