I have recently produced a few essays I intend to send to some psychology journals.
I continue in my study of Descartes and Spinoza. The explicit attacks on teleology in Spinoza's ethics are alarming and strange.
While recently writing about Descartes as a political conspirator I came across a line in the Discourse on the Method that I find telling and humorous.
Descartes, in part 6, is explaining his reticence to publish, and the care he is taking to avoid any 'trouble':
"But I thought that I should in no way consent for [my ideas] to be published during my life, so that neither the opposition and controversy to which they would perhaps be subject nor even such reputation as they could gain me should occasion any loss of the time I intended to use to instruct myself."
Descartes, in other words, is apprehensive about publishing because he fears they may put him on house arrest, imprison, kill him, or otherwise 'occasion any loss of time...'
So much for the disinterested Descartes. He is clearly tapped into and concerned with the theological-political situation.
