Rare books: Geometria and Opera philosophica by René Descartes
This is a guest blog on René Descartes and some of his works we hold by A-Level student Phoebe Carnell who joined us for her work experience in the IET Library and Archives. Opera philosophica , 1685. A collection of 3 of his most influential works – Mediations on first philosophy , Principles of philosophy and Discourse on the method . All explore the idea of searching for truth in reality using philosophical inquiry and innate ideas (an a priori approach). His work consists of specific rules, such as ‘accept nothing as true that is not self-evident’ which links to his advocation of the scientific method. Most famously, Meditations on first philosophy . This work of his is one that I am most intrigued by, as it contains Descartes explaining what is categorised as having certainty in a…