Rene Descartes - Collected Philosophical Works (32 books)

* Rene Descartes - Collected Philosophical Works (32 books)

RENÉ DESCARTES (1596–1650) was a French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist widely regarded as one of the founders of modern philosophy.  Writing during a period of profound intellectual transformation in Europe, he sought to establish a new foundation for knowledge—one that could withstand doubt and rival the certainty of mathematics.  His work marks a decisive shift away from medieval scholasticism toward a method grounded in reason and systematic skepticism.  Descartes’ emphasis on the thinking subject and rational inquiry profoundly shaped the trajectory of Western philosophy.

Descartes first presented his philosophical method in DISCOURSE ON THE METHOD (1637).  It outlines his famous method of doubt, proposing that one should reject as false anything that can be doubted, in order to discover beliefs that are absolutely certain.  It is here that he introduces the celebrated conclusion, cogito, ergo sum (“I think, therefore I am”), asserting that the very act of doubting confirms the existence of the self as a thinking thing.  The Discourse also includes important scientific and mathematical essays, reflecting his belief in the unity of knowledge.

His most influential philosophical work, MEDITATIONS ON FIRST PHILOSOPHY (1641), develops these ideas in greater depth.  Structured as a series of six meditations, the text guides the reader through radical doubt to the discovery of certain knowledge.  Descartes argues for the distinction between mind and body—often called Cartesian dualism—and offers proofs for the existence of God as a guarantor of clear and distinct ideas.  The Meditations became a central text in metaphysics and epistemology, generating extensive debate among his contemporaries and later philosophers.

Beyond philosophy, Descartes made groundbreaking contributions to mathematics and science.  In LA GÉOMÉTRIE (1637), published as an appendix to the Discourse, he developed analytic geometry, introducing the coordinate system that now bears his name.  His scientific writings, including PRINCIPLES OF PHILOSOPHY (1644), aimed to provide a comprehensive mechanical explanation of the natural world.

The three-volume PHILOSOPHICAL WRITINGS OF DESCARTES (1985–1991) is widely regarded as the standard English edition of his philosophical works, providing fresh translations based on the best available Latin and French texts.  Volumes I and II present the major philosophical works in clear, modern prose that balances readability with terminological precision, while Volume III adds a substantial and invaluable selection of correspondence, illuminating Descartes’ exchanges with critics and contemporaries.


The following books are in PDF and/or ePUB format as noted:

* Collected Works (Delphi Classics, 2017) – ePUB
* Descartes' Conversation with Burman [tr. Cottingham] (Oxford, 1976) – PDF
* Discourse on Method [tr. Kennington] (Focus, 2007) – ePUB / PDF
* Discourse on Method and Meditations [tr. Veitch] (Anchor, 1990) – ePUB
* Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy [tr. Cress, 4e] (Hackett, 1998) – ePUB / PDF
* Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy [tr. Johnston] (Broadview, 2020) – ePUB / PDF
* Discourse on Method and Related Writings [tr. Clarke] (Penguin, 2003) – ePUB
* Discourse on Method and the Meditations [tr. Sutcliffe] (Penguin, 1968) – ePUB
* Discourse on Method, Optics, Geometry, and Meteorology [tr. Olscamp] (Hackett, 2001) – PDF
* Discourse on the Method [tr. MacIean] (Oxford, 2006) – ePUB / PDF
* Meditations [tr. Clarke] (Penguin Great Ideas, 2010) – ePUB
* Meditations and Other Metaphysical Writings [tr. Clarke] (Penguin, 2003) – ePUB
* Meditations on First Philosophy [ed. Tweyman] (Routledge, 2003) – PDF
* Meditations on First Philosophy [tr. Cottingham, 2e] (Cambridge, 1996) – PDF
* Meditations on First Philosophy [tr. Cress, 3e] (Hackett, 1993) – ePUB / PDF
* Meditations on First Philosophy [tr. Moriarty] (Oxford, 2008) – ePUB / PDF
* Meditations on First Philosophy: A Bilingual Edition [tr. Hefferman] (Notre Dame, 1990) – ePUB / PDF
* Meditations, Objections, and Replies [tr. Ariew & Cress] (Hackett, 2006) – PDF
* Passions of the Soul [tr. Voss] (Hackett, 1989) – PDF
* Passions of the Soul & Other Late Philosophical Writings [tr. Moriarty] (Oxford, 2015) – ePUB / PDF
* Philosophical Essays and Correspondence [ed. Ariew] (Hackett, 2000) – PDF
* Philosophical Writings [tr. Anscombe & Geach, revised] (Open University, 1970) – PDF
* Philosophical Writings [tr. Kemp Smith] (Modern Library, 1958) – PDF
* Philosophical Writings, Vol. 1 [tr. Cottingham et al.] (Cambridge, 1985) – ePUB / PDF^
* Philosophical Writings, Vol. 2 [tr. Cottingham et al.] (Cambridge, 1984) – ePUB / PDF^
* Philosophical Writings, Vol. 3 [tr. Cottingham et al.] (Cambridge, 1991) – ePUB
* Principles of Philosophy [tr. Miller] (Reidel, 1983) – PDF
* Principles of Philosophy [tr. Veitch] (Barnes & Noble, 2012) – ePUB
* Selected Philosophical Writings [tr. Cottingham et al.] (Cambridge, 1988) – PDF
* The World and Other Writings [ed. Gaukroger] (Cambridge, 1998) – PDF

== LETTERS ==

* Correspondence Between Princess Elisabeth of Bohemia and Descartes [ed. Shapiro] (Chicago, 2007) – PDF
* Philosophical Letters [tr. Kenny] (Minnesota, 1981) – PDF

PDF^ courtesy of Mohamed5438


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