Enlightenment and Action from Descartes to Kant Passionate Thought [Paperback]

This book systematically traces the development of the idea that the improvement of human understanding requires public activity.This is the first book to trace systematically the philosophical origins and development of the idea that the improvement of human understanding requires public activity, through discussion of the work of Descartes, Hobbes, Locke, Spinoza, and Leibniz. Challenging the traditional views of 17th century philosophy and written in lucid, nontechnical language, it will be sought by historians of philosophy and students of the history of ideas.This is the first book to trace systematically the philosophical origins and development of the idea that the improvement of human understanding requires public activity, through discussion of the work of Descartes, Hobbes, Locke, Spinoza, and Leibniz. Challenging the traditional views of 17th century philosophy and written in lucid, nontechnical language, it will be sought by historians of philosophy and students of the history of ideas.This is the first book to trace systematically the philosophical origins and development of the idea that the improvement of human understanding requires public activity, through discussion of the work of Descartes, Hobbes, Locke, Spinoza, and Leibniz. Challenging the traditional views of 17th century philosophy and written in lucid, nontechnical language, it will be sought by historians of philosophy and students of the history of ideas.Preface; List of abbreviations; 1. Introduction: the enlightened mind; 2. Descartes: willful thinking; 3. Hobbes: passionate thinking; 4. Locke: uneasy thinking; 5. Enthusiasm: inspired thinking; 6. Spinoza: resolute thinking; 7. Leibniz: trained thinking; 8. Conclusion: the public mind; Bibliography; Index. ...Losonsky has put a range of new issues onto the table and he has made a[n] admirable start at unraveling the question of the relationship of the reform of knowledge to private virtue on one hand and to contributions to the public welsL