Interpreting Arnauld

Description

A collection of essays on the philosophy of Antoine Arnauld. Arnauld was a philosopher-theologian influenced by Augustine and Descartes. His subsequent influence on John Locke, among others, is well documented. He is best known for his work on the philosophy of mind and language, including his direct realist theory of perception. Additionally, he was the first critic to raise the 'Cartesian Circle' objection against Descartes' *Meditations* and he was a close associate of Blaise Pascal.

Description

Antoine Arnauld (1612-1694) was an influential theologian and philosopher widely known as the leader of the seventeenth-century Jansenist movement and as the author of the Fourth Objections to Descartes's Meditations. This collection of essays examines the relationship between philosophy and theology in Arnauld's thought, as well as his contribution to the development of Cartesianism and his role in the continuation of medieval disputes in the seventeenth century. What emerges in the essays is the essential unity of Arnauld's thought. Arnauld is revealed in the volume as a figure who wanted to embrace the new philosophy while remaining loyal to the medieval theological tradition. His attempt to defend this position and his considerable skill at logical analysis are discussed throughout. The essays deal with such topics as Arnauld's attitude towards the Cartesian doctrine of the creation of the eternal truths and his views on miracles, theodicy, and the compatibility of grace and free will. This volume makes an important contribution to the history of seventeenth-century philosophy, theology, and the history of ideas.

Subjects

Series Statement

• Toronto studies in philosophy