Abstract

This work consists of three essays: "Descartes et la philosophie moderne," by Ervin Rozsnyai; "A propos de la morale 'définitive' de Descartes," by Dezcö Kalocsai; and "Esquisse de l'histoire du cartésianisme en Hongrie," by Zádor Tordai. The second essay, which is also the longest of the three, seems to promise by its title the discovery of the "perfect moral science" which Descartes says culminates his philosophy. But "définitive" is put in quotes just because, according to the author, Descartes never systematized his morality: it must be pieced together from the Passions of the Soul and from correspondence. This view is in part a consequence of Kalocsai's inattention to the implications of Descartes' identification of virtue with passion. In general, while all these essays are eager to point out the progressive and "unchristian," i.e., "this-worldly" direction of Descartes' philosophy, it is not recognized that his conception of the "mastery of nature" put Descartes beyond biblical morality, to say nothing of bourgeoise morality.—H. C.