Epistola Renati Des-Cartes Ad celeberrimum Virum D. Gisbertum Voetium. In qua examinantur duo libri, nuper pro Voetio Vltrajecti simul editi, unus de confraternitate Marianâ, alter de Philosophiâ Cartesianâ.
Amsterodami [Amsterdam]: Apud Ludovicum Elzevirium [Elzevier], MDCXLIII [1643]. First edition. In later red maroquin. Gilt panels, spine, and inner edges. Marbled endpapers. Gilt edges. Woodcut device on the title page. Woodcut initials and tailpieces. [12] 282 p. 19th-century presentation inscription, and possessor’s inscription on flyleaf. In fine condition.
The scarce first edition of this fundamental text for the history of philosophy and human thought, in which Descartes defends the autonomy of reason and doubt.
Ad celeberrimum is Descartes’ offensive open letter, published in May 1643, a response to Gisbertus Voetius’ two earlier books attacking Descartes (Confraternitas Mariana, 1642; Admiranda Methodus, 1643), and a reaction to the condemnation of Cartesianism by the University of Utrecht, of which Voetius was Rector. In the text, Descartes calls for criticism by reasoning and not by authority, argues for the primacy of education over learning, and for the importance and autonomy of reason (Hoon Woo, 2013).
Scarce, WorldCat locates only 6 copies worldwide.
Literature: Cottingham, J.; (et al.): The Philosophical Writings of Descartes. (Volume 3: The Correspondence.) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1985.; Hoon Woo, B.: The Understanding of Gisbertus Voetius and René Descartes on the Relationship of Faith and Reason, and Theology and Philosophy. In: Westminster Theological Journal, 75, no. 1 (2013). pp. 45–63.
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Price: €15,000.00