Descartes's Theory of Action (Brill's Studies in Intellectual History) (Brill's Studies in Intellectual History)

This Volume Has A Single Goal: To Argue That Descartes's Most Fundamental Discovery Is Not The Epistemological Subject, But Rather The Underlying Free Agent Without Whom No Epistemological Subject Is Possible. This Fresh Interpretation Of The Cartesian Cogito Is Defended Through A Close Reading Of Descartes's Masterpiece, The Meditations. Special Attention Is Paid To The Historical Roots Of Descartes's Interest In Free Agency, Particularly His Close Ties To The French School Of Spirituality. Three Aspects Of Descartes's Personal Evolution Are Considered: His Aesthetic Evolution From Baroque Concealment To Classicism, His Political Evolution From Feudal Nostalgia To Modern Secularism, And His Spiritual Evolution From Stoic Wisdom To Active Engagement In The World Through The Scientific Project.--jacket. Spiritual Directors And Spiritual Action -- Passion And Action In Rule Xii -- The Insights Of Orthopraxy -- A Discourse On Resolve -- Tempus Ad Agendum : The Time To Act -- Basic Action Revisited -- I Refrain, Therefore I Am -- Induction And Infinity -- Action And Individuation -- Beyond Obedience And Indifference -- Is Free Agency Required For The Perception Of Truth? -- Agency And The Order Of Nature. By Anne Ashley Davenport. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [299]-301) And Index. PREFACE Chapter One. SPIRITUAL DIRECTORS AND SPIRITUAL ACTION 1.1. Mental Action in the Ignatian Exercises 1.2. Francis of Sales 1.3. Pierre de Bérulle Chapter Two. PASSION AND ACTION IN RULE XII 2.1. Actions vs. Passions 2.2. The Will in Action 2.3. Judging Simple Natures Chapter Three. THE INSIGHTS OF ORTHOPRAXY 3.1. The World Without Aristotle 3.2. Mathematical Truths Chapter Four. A DISCOURSE ON RESOLVE 4.1. Trying 4.2. Promise and Akrasia 4.3. Resolve and Self-Reform 4.4. Betting on Agent Causation 4.5. Basic Action Chapter Five. TEMPUS AD AGENDUM: THE TIME TO ACT Chapter Six. BASIC ACTION REVISITED Chapter Seven. I REFRAIN, THEREFORE I AM 7.1. Ego and Agency 7.2. Ego and Immateriality 7.3. Light (Reason) and Fire (Death) Chapter Eight. INDUCTION AND INFINITY 8.1. The power to reason unrestrictedly 8.2. Magnitude and Order 8.3. Causation 8.4. Infinity Chapter Nine. ACTION AND INDIVIDUATION 9.1. My existence, my Nothingness 9.2. Theodicy 9.3. My errors, my action Chapter Ten. BEYOND OBEDIENCE AND INDIFFERENCE 10.1. The Will’s Propensity 10.2. Freedom of consent Chapter Eleven. IS FREE AGENCY REQUIRED FOR THE PERCEPTION OF TRUTH? 11.1. Intentionality and its Objects 11.2. 'Velim Nolim' 11.3. God’s (unbracketable) existence 11.4. Beyond Autarchy 11.5. Summary Chapter Twelve. AGENCY AND THE ORDER OF NATURE 12.1. Natural Wisdom 12.2. Trust and Belief 12.3. Doctus a Natura 12.4. 'Ordinem naturae pervertere' 12.5. Trust and Corrigibility 12.6. Trust and Providence BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX