Philosophy as Descartes Found It

What was philosophy like before Descartes reformed it? What parts of philosophy did he reform, and what tools did he use? To answer such questions, how should philosophers do their work today? Some answers are surprising—that Descartes wrote picture books, for example. And some are challenging—that philosophers would do their work better by spending less time on philosophy as they commonly understand it. Philosophy changes for non-philosophical reasons that need philosophical attention, and oblivion impedes the contemporary study of philosophy’s past. Attending to those undervalued reasons will show how to repair the harm done by oblivion

Epistemology · Classical Philosophy and Thought · Historical Philosophy and Science · Philosophy