Publication of Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy
- When
- 1641–1647
- Where
- Unspecified
- Episodes
- 2
René Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy was first published in Latin in 1641. The work consists of six meditations using methodic doubt to establish certainty, accompanied by objections and replies. A French translation followed in 1647.
Episodes
- Latin Publication
The Meditations were first published in Latin in 1641, including objections and replies.
- French Translation
A French translation supervised by Descartes was published in 1647.
Background and detail
Structure and Method. The book comprises six meditations written in the first person. Descartes discards uncertain beliefs to establish what can be known for sure. The first two meditations employ skeptical methodic doubt, concluding that only the ego and its thoughts are indubitable.
Composition and Translation. Descartes began work on the text in 1639, structuring it as if meditated over six days. A French translation, supervised by Descartes and translated by the Duke of Luynes, was published in 1647 as Méditations Métaphysiques.
People involved
- René Descartes · Author
- Duke of Luynes · Translator
Sources
- Meditations on First Philosophy Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-10
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.