Descartes's Theory of Action

330 Pages·2006·1.423 MB·English

by  Anne Ashley Davenport

DESCARTES’S THEORY OF ACTION
BRILL’S STUDIES
IN
INTELLECTUAL HISTORY
General Editor
A.J.Vanderjagt, University of Groningen
Editorial Board
C.S. Celenza, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore
M. Colish, Oberlin College
J.I. Israel, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton
J.D. North, University of Groningen
W. Otten, Utrecht University
VOLUME142
DESCARTES’S
THEORY OF ACTION
BY
ANNE ASHLEY DAVENPORT
BRILL
LEIDEN •BOSTON
2006
Cover illustration: Saint Jeanne de Chantal in Meditation, by Elvire Jan (School of Manessier),
1975. Ink on wood. Private collection. Photo Leon Golub.
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Davenport, Anne Ashley.
Descartes’s theory of action / by Anne Davenport.
p. cm. — (Brill’s studies in intellectual history, ISSN 0920-8607 ; v. 142)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-90-04-15205-2 (hardback : alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 90-04-15205-9 (hardback : alk. paper)
1. Descartes, René, 1596-1650. 2. Act (Philosophy) I. Title. II. Series.
B1878.A27D38 2006
128’.4092—dc22
2006043935
ISSN 0920-8607
ISBN-13:978-90-04-15205-2
ISBN-10:90-04-15205-9
© Copyright 2006 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands
Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints Brill Academic Publishers,
Martinus Nijhoff Publishers and VSP.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in
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printed in the netherlands
ToLeon,sidereusnuncius

CONTENTS
Preface ................................................................ ix
ChapterOne.Spiritual DirectorsandSpiritual Action............. 1
1.1. MentalActionintheIgnatianExercises.................... 7
1.2. FrancisofSales............................................... 11
1.3. PierredeBérulle ............................................. 15
ChapterTwo.PassionandActioninRuleXII...................... 23
2.1. Actionsvs.Passions .......................................... 27
2.2. TheWillinAction ........................................... 31
2.3. JudgingSimpleNatures...................................... 37
ChapterThree.TheInsightsofOrthopraxy........................ 41
3.1. TheWorldWithoutAristotle................................ 43
3.2. MathematicalTruths......................................... 48
ChapterFour.ADiscourseonResolve .............................. 61
4.1. Trying......................................................... 63
4.2. PromiseandAkrasia ......................................... 66
4.3. ResolveandSelf-Reform .................................... 71
4.4. BettingonAgentCausation ................................. 79
4.5. BasicAction .................................................. 82
ChapterFive.TempusadAgendum:theTimetoAct.............. 87
ChapterSix.BasicActionRevisited................................. 101
ChapterSeven.IRefrain, ThereforeIam .......................... 121
7.1. EgoandAgency.............................................. 122
7.2. EgoandImmateriality....................................... 136
7.3. Light(Reason)andFire(Death)............................. 141
viii contents
ChapterEight.InductionandInfinity............................... 145
8.1. Thepowertoreasonunrestrictedly ......................... 146
8.2. MagnitudeandOrder ....................................... 152
8.3. Causation..................................................... 157
8.4. Infinity........................................................ 161
ChapterNine.ActionandIndividuation............................ 173
9.1. Myexistence,myNothingness .............................. 179
9.2. Theodicy ..................................................... 185
9.3. Myerrors,myaction......................................... 189
ChapterTen.BeyondObedienceandIndifference................. 197
10.1. TheWill’sPropensity ........................................ 207
10.2.Freedomofconsent .......................................... 219
ChapterEleven.IsFreeAgencyRequired forthePerceptionof
Truth? .............................................................. 229
11.1. IntentionalityanditsObjects................................ 231
11.2. VelimNolim .................................................... 241
11.3. God’s(unbracketable) existence ............................. 247
11.4. BeyondAutarchy............................................. 251
11.5. Summary..................................................... 256
ChapterTwelve.AgencyandtheOrderofNature................. 259
12.1. NaturalWisdom.............................................. 262
12.2.TrustandBelief .............................................. 268
12.3.DoctusaNatura.............................................. 276
12.4.Ordinemnaturaepervertere....................................... 285
12.5. TrustandCorrigibility....................................... 288
12.6.TrustandProvidence ........................................ 292
Bibliography .......................................................... 299
Index .................................................................. 303