The Rationalists: Descartes: Discourse on Method & Meditations; Spinoza: Ethics; Leibniz: Monadology & Discourse on Metaphysics

by Richard Taylor (Editor), René Descartes, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz

Founded in the mid-17th century, Rationalism was  philosophy's first step into the modern era. This  volume contains the essential statements of  Rationalism's three greatest figures: Descartes, who  began it; Spinoza, who epitomized it; and Leibniz,  who gave it its last serious expression.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, History, Ebooks

480 pages, Paperback

First published August 23, 1960

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database named Richard Taylor.

Richard Taylor was an American philosopher known for his dry wit and Socratic approach, and an internationally-known beekeeper. He received his Ph.D. at Brown University, and taught principally there as well as at Columbia and the University of Rochester, from which he retired in 1985.

Reviews

[Milkcrate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting and wild ideas in this book. I read most of it, but I had to skip some of Spinoza because I ran out of time and also his writing is not very exciting. Interesting nonetheless. All three of these guys use arguments to prove the existence of God. "Contigo ero sum" or "I think therefore I am", Descartes famous line, that which cannot be doubted is that I exist when I have this thought that I exist. Even if there is some evil demon with complete control of my body and mind, something still necessary exists when it thinks it exists.

Spinoza's idea that God is everything is kind of neat. Also that there is no free will is pretty wild, not even God has free will So he created the universe out of necessity, not because he wanted to. It could not have been otherwise.

Leibniz is a determinist like Spinoza, but he has this "incline without necessitating" thing that makes people morally responsible for thier actions even though they could not have done otherwise. When creating the world, God chose the best possible word. When God was choosing which world to create out of all the possible worlds he used his wisdom to know the good (he doesn't create the good, it exists separately from God), his goodness causes him to choose it, and his power enables him to produce the best possible world.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a novice reader of philosophy, the logical approach appealed to me, particularly the justification of the existence of god and the breakdown of emotions. There were plenty of sections that lost me, especially the more detailed attempts to explain the nature and motives of god.

[Rory Armstrong]

Descartes - Only thing for certain is I can think: but fails to prove anything else
Spinoza - God or Nature; The good is understanding Nature
Leibniz - huh?

[Desiree S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seminar - this is literally my diary

[Rianna · Rating 2 out of 5]

leibniz was riding descartes dick hella hard

[01 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will be counting this as read as i’ve only read the descartes part and will be returning

[Ryan Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars for spinoza! what a guy.

[Jade Magic]

I read this book for a class that I am taking.

[Kurt Wallinger · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read this during college over 50 years ago. Reread it and this time it was more difficult to follow and understand. Interesting as historical thought.

[Darryl Saunders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part of my thinking foundation...

[Joshua Duffy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Understood approximately 1% of this book :s