{"product_id":"the-rationalists-9780745627441","title":"The Rationalists","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDescartes, Spinoza and Leibniz stand out among their seventeenth-century contemporaries as the great rationalist philosophers. Each sought to construct a philosophical system in which theological and philosophical foundations serve to explain the physical, mental and moral universe. Through a careful analysis of their work, Pauline Phemister explores the rationalists seminal contribution to the development of modern philosophy. \u003cp\u003eBroad terminological agreement and a shared appreciation of the role of reason in ethics do not mask the very significant disagreements that led to three distinctive philosophical systems: Cartesian dualism, Spinozan monism and Leibnizian pluralism. The book explores the nature of, and offers reasons for, these differences. Phemister contends that Spinoza and Leibniz developed their systems in part through engagements with and amendment of Cartesian philosophy, and critically analyses the arguments and contributions of all three philosophers. The clarity of t\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Pauline Phemister’s \u003ci\u003eThe Rationalists\u003c\/i\u003e is a well-regulated account of three great seventeenth-century “system builders”, replete with illuminating contrasts and comparisons.\"\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eRoger Woolhouse, \u003ci\u003eUniversity of York\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"Pauline Phemister’s comparative study of Descartes, Spinoza and Leibniz is an important contribution to the historiography of philosophy as well as a delight to read. The central issues of seventeenth-century metaphysics, including the nature of substance, ideas, God, mind and body, causality and freedom, are treated in depth and with exemplary lucidity. This is simply the best and most comprehensive survey of rationalism available.\"\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCatherine Wilson, \u003ci\u003eCity University of New York\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAbbreviations. \u003cp\u003eAcknowledgements.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIntroduction.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChapter One – System Builders.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChapter Two – Knowledge and Ideas.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChapter Three – Substance.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChapter Four – Spinoza’s God.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChapter Five – One and Many.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChapter Six – Body: Descartes and Spinoza.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChapter Seven – Body: Leibniz.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChapter Eight – Mind and Body: Descartes.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChapter Nine – Mind and Body: Spinoza and Leibniz.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChapter Ten – Problems of Freedom.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChapter Eleven – Freedom, Activity and Self-determination.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNotes.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBibliography.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIndex.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Polity Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51767974625623,"sku":"9780745627441","price":21.53,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780745627441.jpg?v=1758715749","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/the-rationalists-9780745627441","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}