Read The Classics: Meditations and Other Metaphysical Writings December 14, 2008

The Multnomah County Library invites you to take part in a new book series, where you can read some of the best all-time classics and discuss them under the leadership of Paul Hovda, Professor of Philosophy and Humanities at Reed College. Participation is free, but registration is required. You can register online at http://www.multcolib.org/events/classics/philosophy.html
A limited number of books will be available free of charge for those who pre-register.

Many of us have heard that Descartes said "I think therefore I am," but what's the point? The Meditations (1641), in which Descartes put this forward, seek a foundation for what we might now call "scientific" knowledge. They also seek to answer the question "What am I?"; and "I think therefore I am" is relevant to both projects. The Meditations and Other Metaphysical Writings are usually categorized as among the very first post–medieval philosophical works, and they are often thought of as among the cornerstones of modern science, as well as setting the agenda for modern philosophy. There is no doubt that Descartes was asking revolutionary questions, and he was one of the greatest minds ever to address them; yet God seems to play a central role in Descartes' answers to these questions, which, to many of us, makes the work seem more medieval than modern in spirit. The Meditations thus bridge the medieval and the modern, and constitute a self-contained philosophical work of genius.

Official Website: http://www.multcolib.org/events/classics/philosophy.html