The Method of Descartes: A Study of the Regulae

324 Pages·1952·17.164 MB·English

by  John Leslie Beck

THEM ETHODO F
DESCARTES
A STUDYO FT HER EGULAE
BY
J.
L. BECK
OXFORD
ATT HEC LARENDOPNR ES S
1952
OxfoUrndi vePrrseiAstyms e,Hn o usLeo,n dEo.nC4 .
GLASGONWE WY ORKT ORONTMOE LBOURNWEE LLINGTON
BOMBYA CALCUTTMAA DRAKSA RACHCIA PET OWNI BADAN
GeofCfurmebye rPluebgliest,hot e hUren iversity
PRINTEIDN G REABTR ITA!N
PREFACE
'Thmea gnifipcheinlto swooprhclkio cniaentl h see ventceeenntwtuahrds yu neo sto
mucthoi ts abc eeinntgou fgr eyn iusc-nec' aeprsaa tss sde'za 'Ulo'ierspb roimnta, is
lep rinceipsadtlel 'appbliieqnu-etarois t bse ianc ge ntiunrw yh itchhCe a rtesian
ruloefms e thwoedra et tenotbisveerlvye d.' R.G .C OLLINGWOOD
Tol ootkh rotuhgceha taloofagl uieb roarer vyet,nos can
oneo'wsnb ookshmeulsrvtee isn,fot rhmcee el ancchoonl­ic
victtihoiainttas n i neviptaaorbfttl hepe r iocfge r eatness,
inp hilosaosip noh tihcfieaerllo dfsl itaecrhaireyv ement, that
postesrhiotupyla dty h deo ubttfurli bouftt aek iunpgo n
itstehtleaf os fke xplatiotn hirene gos ftt h weo rwlhdat th e
greraetam lelayno tnt, h per esumdpotuibottnlh egasrtse at­
nesisns peculatiivspe e rmfeacattntledeyv r,ens no rmally,
compatwiibtalhc e e rtmauidnd le-ohbesacdueardni adt y
markienda btioel xiptryoe nsessc ellefaT rhleywr.ie el vle n
befo unbdr asvpeirwr hiaots ss ulmerese sv eretnhtteai sakl ly
ofe xplawihnatithn eges mei npehnitl osooupghhehtratsvo e
meanDte.s cairsot,fce osu risnne ow, a eyx emfrpotmt his
posthufomromou fst ribaub tieb;l ioogfbr oaopakhnsyd
artiocnCl aerst esian phiitlsoreseloqfpua hic yro enw ­ould
sidervaoblluYeme eti. wt a Dse scawrhtole isk epnheidl o­
sophciocmamle nttaotr hiteer so ubwlaetdefo rusn di n
pitrcsh erainvdce ormsp atrote hcdel esaprr wiantgoe ftr h e
origtienxDatel.s phiiatsse s erttoti hcoeon nst Dreasrcya,r tes
inso pte rfeccltelaaynr td h ree awdielrItl h,i angkr,te hea t
hei nso tth eea soifep shti lostooup nhdeerrssa tntadhn adt,,
forb ettfoerwr o,r smea,no yf t hCea rtewsriiatnri en­gs
quidreet aeixlpelda nfoartt ihsoetn u doefpn hti losophy.
Onew eabku ti nvinecxicbulfosere a newb oookn
Cartepshiialno sloiipehnsty h fier mb eltiheafat st, h is
voluimfaser fr omb eitnhgfie r sstoi, wt i clelr tnaoibtne l y
thlea sitnt, h leo nsge roifew so rwkhsi dcahi wmi,t nho
litjtulset ifitcoia nttieotrnhp,ter h eotu ogfDh ets cartes.
Thep urpoofts hesi tsu idqsyu iltiem iIta emad t.t empt­
intgos eclto wanna ccoouftn htme e thoofDd e scawrittehs
partirceufelraetrnoh c ieesa rwloyrt kh,Re e guladier eacdt io­
neimn geTnhieri e.a sfoormn ysc hooifct ehc eo mparatively
unknoRweng ualaste hfo en dametnetoxafmtl y c ommentary
vi
PREFACE
arseu fficieexnptllayii nmn yei dn trodcuhcatpoDtreeysr ­.
caritpsee sr freicgtihlnhty ic so ntetnhttaihtroe en ma ela ning
ofa g retahti nmkuesbrte s ougahntfod u nidn h iosw n
writiMnygp su.r phoesrewe i blelfu lfililfIeh da vneo t
cloutdheieds sbuuehtsa vhee lpmeyrd e adteour nsd erstand
morceo mpltehtteee loxyftt hRee gualnadae,s a c orollary,
thtee oxftt hDei scdoeul raMéts h odeI.tf h ien vestoifg ation
thCea rtedsoicatonrf mi enteh hoadss o metciamrermsie e d
beyotnhdle i moiftt hsRe e gulIha aev,te r iteofod l laosw
closaespl oys sDiebslcea rotwenos r'dosef er x posiint ion
thiwso rrku,l beyr ulIen.e vitablyh avpaerr oibsleenm s
whiwcohu hladv cea lfolret dhd ei scuosfds oicotnre ixn­es
poundbeyDd e scarhtiemsse tianp htyrseiactails es. These
doctrhianvbeees en no taendtd,h edne libelreaafsttie dley,
int hbee ltiheaaftn d ye sersvterdio cfti unrceo mpleteness
wiblelc ondobnyme ydp ursoufail ti miotbjeedc tive.
Asfa ra sw apso ssIih balvqeeu, o tteedxfr tosmD escartes
tos uppmoyri tn terprTehteahstaeiv boeen e.tn r anslated
fromt hŒeu vrceosm pleèdtiebtsye,A d d aamn Tda nnery
(trheefe reinncdeiscb aytt heaedb brevAiTa.fot liloonw ed
byv olupmaeg,ae n,ld i nMeysfo )o.t nowtoeuhsla dv bee en
shoritIfhe arnd o cth osteopn r iinnfut l all tlhi em portant
passtargaenss ilnta htteee ixdtt s Iewtla fsI., faeslktti,on og
mucohft hree adteoer x pehcitmt ol ooukpt hoer iginal
worodfDs e scairntt hteews e vlovleu omtfeh sŒe u vreevse,n
ifth ewseerc eo nvenaiveanitlYlea ytbi ltie si. m poritna nt
sucahw ork tthhweah too lfet heev idsehnocuebl epd u t
forwairnod r,d teoer n atbhlreee atdjoeu rd fogreh imsoefl f
thceo rrecotfmn yei snst erpraenttdah taeitvo ind;ei nsc e
ultimtahtteee loxyftD escaMryta eistm.h ereifospr rei ­
maroinloeyfe xposaintidin otne rparneadtn acytr iiotni cism
tr,ia esis tmsa ipnu rpotsode i,s enttahenesg sleeon ft ial
Descarmteetsh'osd odloocgtiarcniadrnl ee s tiatwt iet hin
hiosw na ssumpIttdi ooennsso .fot l ltohwa Irt e gahrids
argumaesan bto cvrei ticism.
Iit sIi, m aguinniev,e argsraetlehltdayh t e sotfDu edsy­
caritsea sne ssenptariotafp l h ilosospthuidJcioaehlsn .
Lockwea sde finiotfte hlioysp inainodhn i,ns o toensa
Méthodpeo ubri éetnu dliade orc tridneMre . d eCsa ratresest ill
intereHsetw irniigt.neh s iJ so uronna7 l M arc1h6 78:
PREFACE vii
'L'orqdur'eod no istu ivproeue rt udaiveeruc t illietsé
ouvradgeMe rs.d eCsa rteetds ec, e uqxul ie osn cto mmen­
teozu e crsiultrad octersidtnec e o mmendc'earbp oarlrda
lectduers eaM ethode. Pmaerdcietqsauun'lrtee r n e cit
qu'nioluy sfa idte psr ogdrese eses s tuodnae psp rend d'une
paràet v ilteefasru tqeus' coonm met d'eonre dtiundaiainrte
lap hilosdoeeplsh cieoetql uele ' so'ni nsdt'rauiildtlel e au rs
conduqiutfaielu t te npiorud re coulvavr eirrdi atnéts o ucte
qurie galrpadh ei losTohpeah diveii.ssc'te ii nlslt rauncdt ive
sounIdo .u gphetr htaoap dstd h atthi em medifoaltleolwy­
inpga ragorfat phhJe ourinsoa mli noLuosc.kh ea nso
hesitianat divoinst ihpnehg i losonpohviiaccgaeal it nhset
readoiftn hgfie r scto mmenetvaerwryr itotneC na rtesian
methodotlhoCego ym,m enotauRi ermea rsquulreaM s é thode
de MrD.e scaorfPt èerPseo, i spsuobnl,i isnIh6 e7Id. L ocke
notehsa,r sbhulntyo itn justthla'ytc,c e o mmenteasitr e
rempdleti a ndtec hosiensu taiusl ujeesqt u elsloenpstl us
capabdl'eesm barqruaeds isnesrt draunliserc seo mmence­
menettqs u eislpt l uasv antadgene elu epxsa vso qiurde e l es
lirIeh .a'va et temtpokt eeedtp h cirsi tiicnmi isnwmdh en
writmiyno gw nc ommenotnat rhmyee thoofDd e scartes.
Tos omeex temyng tr eiantd ebtteodt nhweers ist oifn gs
othmearybs e m easubrye dfrt ehqeu ewnictwyhh iIcr he fer
tot heBmu.tt h epsaes srienfegr ernecperse osnelansy tm all
propoorftt hioofrsnoe mw hoImh avlee armnoesdTt o.h ave
hadt hper iviolfae tgtee ntdhilene gc toufrP erso fessors
GilsaonnLd a poarttt ehS eo rboannndte h,o osfet hlea te
ProfesJsooarc haitOm x forids,t oh avien curard eedb t
whiicithsi m postsoie bsltei fomrao tnee soertl oaf c know­
ledtgooe t heTrohs a.v dei scutshtseee oxdftD escartes with
J.
thlea Ptreo fessAo.Sr m iwtahis ni tsaer lefv eloaftt hieo n
corrweacytt or eaapd h ilosowprhiitIced aronl; o ptr etend
toh avlee afurlnltty hl ee sbsuoItnf eaebllt eor ecogtnhiez.e
ideTahlep. r inwtoerdok fsP rofesGsiolrssao nnLd a porte
J.
havper oviendv aluMarb.l Le.A. u stoifMn a gdaCloeln­
legkei ndllemyne th idse taniolteoedfPs r eosfs Joora chim's
lectuTrheeg sr.e aptaerortfw haIth avlee aarbnotDu ets ­
caritsde uste o t hien struacntwdir oint oifnt ghseg sree at
schoalnapdrh si losoapnehdve erwnsh ,em ny i nterpretation
diffefrrosmt heimryos b,l igdaotenisoo etnn dIm. u satl so
VIII PREFACE
exprmeygs rsa tittotu hWdeae r doefMn e rtaonntd o M r.
W.H .W alosfhM ertwohnoh avree atdh romuygm ha nu­
scrTihpethy.a vter iteoid m prmoyvs et yalnehd a voeff ered
manhye lpsfuulg gesIt hiaovnbese .eh ne lpbeydt heir
encouraagnehdma evpnert o fiIth eodp,fre o,mt hecirri ti­
cisbmusfot,r m anoyft hseh ortcwohmiidcnheg,ss p tihteei r
helspt,ri elmla iintn h wiosr Ika ,l oanmer eposnsible.
L.JB..
MERTON COLLEGE,O XFORD
20 Febru1a95r1y
CONTENTS
I.THER EGU LAE
§I.T heRe gulaanetd h Deis cours
§2.T heT exotft hRee gulae 8
§3.T heP laonft hRee gulae II
IIT.HEU NITYO FT HOUGHTA NDS CIENCE
§r.K nowlaendMdge et hod
§2.P erceapntIdim oang ination
IIIT.HEF IELODF K NOWLEDGE
§r.R eflection
§2.T heI deoaftl h Sec ieanncMdea st hematics
§3.T heC ertaoifMn attyh ematics 39
IVI.NTELLECTIUNATLU ITION
§r.T heT wofoFludn ctoifto hInen tellect 47
§2.A ProbolfTe emr minology 48
§3.I ntelIlnetcutiutailo n 50
§4.S ornCeh aractoefIr nitsetliIlcnestc utiutailo n 55
V.THEO BJECOTF I NTELLECTIUNATLU ITION
§r.T heS imploifIc nitteyl Ilnetcutiutailo n 65
§2.' SimNpalteu res' 66
§3.' SimPprloep ositions' 75
VIT.HEN ATUREO FI NFERENCE
§r.I ntelIlnetcutiautnaDidleo dnu ction
§2.T heN atuorfDe e duction
§3.' NeceCsosnanreyx ions'
VIIC.ARTESIDAEND UCTIOANN DT HES YLLOGISM
§r.' ThPee rfeMcett hoofDd e monstration' IOO
§2.C ritiocfti hSseym l logism I02
§3.I mplaincEdix tp licit
VIIEIN.UMERATION
§r.P roviSsuimomnaaorlfty h Mee thod III
§2.E numeration II4
§3.T heR oloefM emory I20
§4.' CompElneutmee rations' 126
CONTENTS
X
IXD.EMOSNTRATION
§z.' EumesriaIvtneid ou ctio'
134
§2.S ummaorfty hR eu loefDs e monstration
143
X.THEE SSENTIOAFLM SE THOD
§z.T hReu loefMs e thod
147
§2.T hDee finiotfMi eotnh od
152
XIT.HER ULEOSF A NALYSAINSD S YNTHESIS
§z.O rtlaenrTd h inking
§2.T hReu loefA nalysis
§3.T hMee thoofSd y nthesis
XIIT.HES ECREOTF T HEM ETHOD
§z.' ThSee corfte htMe e thod'
§2.' AEnx ericnMi esteh od'
XIITIH.ES CIECENO FO RDER
§r.' MathVuelsgiasr is'
§2.' MatheUsniisv ersalis'
XIVT.HES OLUTIOOFNP ROBLEMS
§1.T hMea them'aSthieclall'
203
§2.P erafencIdtm perPfercotb lems
206
§3.A not'hEexre irnMc eitsheo d'
210
XV.THEM ETHODI NM ATHEMATICS
§r.S enasneId m aginianRt eiaosno ning
215
§2.' Entinaojtaam'
221
XVIT.HEM ETHODI NP HYSICS
§1.M athemaantPdih cyss ics
230
§2.T hReo loefE xperience
239
XVITIH.EORAYN DP RACTICE
§1.M athemaanttdhi Pecr sin cipPiah ilosophiae
§2.T hDei optrique
XVIITIH.EM ETHODI NP HILOSOPHY
§r.L ogaincMd e thod
§2.T hMee thoofAd n alaynsSdiy sn thesis
§3.T hMee thiontd hM ee ditationes
INDEOXF P ASSAGFERSO MT HER EGULAE
INDEOXF N AMESA ND SUBJECTS
312
...,1
I
THE REGULAE
§1.T hRee gulaaent dh Dei scours
A EFWy eaarfstt ehdree aotfDh e scapretressir,su tmeonutr s
wercei rcuilnta htleie nagrc nierdoc fFl reasna cntedh Leo w
Counttrhaiametos ntghsmeta nusclreuifnptpt usb lwiassh ed
at reaotnLi osgeBi aci.l tlh:fieert bs,it o groafDp ehsecra rtes,
repotrhtast
FathRearp ifonri, n sthaanscdae ti,hd a Dte scahratbdee sg au n
Logwihci hcehh ande vfienri sbhuettdh ,aa fe tw fr agmeonftt hse
treasttriieslmela iinnte hpdeo sseosfos nioeofh n i s dainswdcei rpel es
enti'tElreudd .i.ta.vi iogno'sr eoauwrsac msha daem onhgispsta pers
butth ewraens o thfoiunngbd e arintgi otflt' ehE er udintoyireo tn ',
anythwihnigcc ho ubledl ookuepdoa nsa L ogiwci,tt hh sei ngle
excepotfhi io'snR ufolrets h geu idaonftc heme i nidnt hsee arch
aft·eTrr urtuhl'ue,ps o wnh icah m osetx celLloegnmitca yb e
modelalnewddh icuhn doubctoendtalac yio nn sidpeorratobiflo en
himse th1o d.
Baigloleoesntt ogi hvieos p intihotanhtR e e gualraaefu e l ler
anmdo rdee taeixlpeods oiftt hiCeoa nr temseitahtnoh da n
thoaftt hDei scdoelu aMr ést hwohdiehc ehc onsitdobe ear s
merseu mmaorfty hm ea imne thodoplroigniccaiva pille ews ,
whiDcehs cahritmeshsea eldxf p remsosrteehd ao nn c2Y ee.t,
ont hweh otlheme,e thoofDd e scahrabtsee essnt udwiietdh,
af enwo taebxlcee pitnti hoeenx sp,o soiftt hiDeoi ns cIotu rs.
inso stu rprtihstaihtnsi ghs o uhladvh ea ppeCnleedr.s elier
himsfreilefan,nd dd i scoifDp elsec atrowt heosCm,h anut
letfhtre e sponosfip buiblliittshyhme ia nngu scorfti hpet s
philosdoipndho aettr t,ma ucchih m porttoat nhRceee g ulae
ofw hihcehh a tdh oer igiintn hawelr itoifDn egs caarntde s,
waqsu iwtiel ltiohna gno dv etrht ea tsaokn syc hodleasri rous
ofu nderttahekedi intgoi fwn hgah tec lecaornlsyi oddedr ed
1 l'AbBbaéi lLlaVie etd ,eM onsieur D(ePsa-r1Ci6as9r,it1 2.e )8s,2 .
2 Cffo.r,e xamtphlleee, tt toPe. Vr at(iAeTri. 5. 5 139-16)', Jveo udsi rparie mière­
menqtu,me o nd essne'piaon i énttéd 'ensetiogumntaeeM r é thoddaenl sed iscours
oùj el ap ropoSseebe.e 'l opw.1, 7 2.
5479 B
2 THE REGULAE
fragmeonftm su,cl he ismsp orttahnatcnhle ee twtheircsh
wourleda acw hi dpeurb lic.X
Oncea hna rybd lia Cmlee rsfoertl hiienrfik riasnntgfod r e­
mosotfw hawto ualtdt rmaocretea saiw liyd peurb alnidc
thaudstd to hfaem eo hfi asl refaamdoyumsat se Trh.ee x ample
oft hmiass tweoruh ladvj eu sthiificseh doi inlc eea vaisnigd e
thien comapnlsdeo tmee wahraLitad t tienxI tnt. hD ei scours
heh asda i'dII:fw riitnFe r enwchhi,ic tshh lea nguoafg e
myo wcno unitnpr rye,f etroLe antcwiehn i,ic tshh oaftm y
teacihitebs re sc,aI uh soept eh tahto wshemo a kues oeft heir
naturreaalws iotnh poruetj uwdibileclb e e tjtuedrog efms y
opintihoantnsh owsheob elioenvlieynt hwer itoiftn hges
anci2eL nattsie.ntr' h,pe r efatcote hP er inchierp eiiat,e rated
thsea mceo nviacstt oti hoteny poefr eadheehr asid nm ind:
'Ih avoeb serhveew dr'i,t' eoesnx, a mitnhinena gt uorfe
mandyi ffemrienncittsh ,ta hte arrveee rfeyws od ull-witted
ors loowfu ndersttahnatdhtie anyrgi e n capoafub nldee r­
standsionuognp di noiroe nvsea nc quiaritilhn hegi ghest
scieintfch eeswy,e rbeu ttr aiinnte hdre i gwhaty T.h'e3r e
cabne l itdtoluetb htaD ets catrhtoeustg hhtatht ae v erage
intelmlainag nedhn,etw ouhladva ed dewdo,m4 aw napse r­
fectclayp aobfrl eea dainnudgn dersthainwsdo irnokngs
philosaonptdhh ymi,es a nntoo tn ltyh Dei scbouuttrh se
Meditatainodtn hePesr incipia IPnha i cleorstoapihni ae.
meastuhrpiers a iseawmobritmthiayoys n e etmoh avbee en
realTihzeeD di.s cfiorusrptsu ,b liisn1h 63e d(s7 o msei xty
1C ft.h per efaocfeC sl erswehliiacerhpre u bliisnhv eodlv .o f A T,e specially
thteh iprrde fapc.6e 5,1 '.L beo Mn. C lersaesBl aiyeclrae'l ,hl iemdw, a pse rsonally
morien terients htteeh de oloigmipclailco aftt hiCeoa nrst edsoicatnrH iend ei.d ,
howevleerno,dr s hotwh mea nusctroih pictsls o frsiee nMdasl.e bramnucshte
certahianvsleey et nh emT.h eP èreP oishsaodcn e rtarienatldhy Re e guslaeee,
hiCosm mentoauiR ree marsquuleras M éthoded eMr Desca(r1t6e7sp1 p)7.,3
an7d6 .
2A T.v i7.72+- Jo.
J lnt haeu thloert'ttsote hrte r ans(lAaTti.ox( r P aIrIt1) 21,7- 32).T hes ame
vieiwsfo undi nt hRee gulIaVe,', q uoedt ieaxmp ericeonmtpirao bcautmu r,
saepivsisdiemaeim lulqsou sli,i ttoepreirnsau mn qunaamv arluonntsg,oe l iedti us
clardieou bsv rieibsju usd icqauraqemu, pi e rpeitnsu coh osluinvste rs(aAtTix.'.
37121)-.2 5
4H ew riitnea ls e tttoPe èrr Vea tiaefe rw,m ontahftset rh peu blicoaftt hieo n
Disco'ucrpeses:n snéeme 'so nste mbêltépr reo pàrm eest tdraenu snl ivorùje ',a i
vouqluule e s femmêmmeess peunitsesqneudnertle cq huoe(s AeT'i. 5. o6 22-2s).S ee
alwshoa Bta islaliyenstL aVi ei,i5 .0 a0n,td h ceh armsitnugbd yAy d amD,e scartes,
Seasm itfémiinéisn Peasr,1i 39s7,.