Descartes's Meditations - Introduction

About this Resource

This resource is intended to be an aid to the study of Descartes's Meditations and to work in tandem with my published book, 'A Beginner's Guide to Descartes's Meditations'. It is primarily aimed at those studying the text at A-level or as undergraduates (in the UK or US) - although it is also accessible enough to be of interest to the general reader.

All material available here may be used in teaching without permission as long as you credit the source, but may not be reproduced for profit. The text of the Meditations used is John Veitch's 1912 translation (which is now out of copyright and therefore in the public domain). If you come across any errors, mistakes, or have any comments regarding this resource, please reach me using the contact form.

Method of Study

The material on this site is organised so that you can switch back and forth easily between the original text, commentary, analysis, and study questions.

You are therefore free to work through the material in any way. However, perhaps the best method of study is to

• Read the section summary
• Read a section of the text
• Use the commentary as you work through it
• Use the study questions to check your understanding

Once you have a relatively sound grasp of the text and the arguments, you can use other material on the site (or my book) to begin to

• Relate Descartes's philosophy to his historical and intellectual background
• Analyse and formulate criticisms of the arguments
• Relate the points discussed to certain themes in the history of philosophy

In addition to this, you may find the forum a useful place to discuss difficult passages or share your own understanding. The members there will range from absolute beginners through to teachers and graduates, so - whoever you are - you will find someone at your level. Also, I will periodically publish short articles in the Philosophical Themes part of the Further Reading section which will highlight some of the central concerns of the Meditations, and you will be able to discuss these in the forum. The number of articles will grow over time, so keep checking back.

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