Ebook Descartes

There are others who think that all these are not so important as the reform in philosophy, the reform in the ways and methods of human thought, which abolished scholastic subtleties and disputes, and substituted for the authority Of Thomas Aquinas and of Aristotle the guidance of sober deduction and scientific experiment. Mr Mill, indeed, asserted that revolutions in philosophy have generally preceded and indicated great improve ments in the social and political wellbeing of mankind. This is doubtless often the case. But it is not clear that in the series of revolutions which changed me dieval into modern Europe, philosophy led the van. There were no doubt hints here and there, there were no doubt abortive attempts, such as those of Giordano Bruno, Vanini, Campanella, and others, to reform and renew philosophy. But these attempts are now sought out only by the curious historian, who is perhaps jealous of individual fame, and desires to Show that nothing comes suddenly in history. Even if they really anticipated the great regeneration, they did not impress it upon the world and hence it is strictly true that in philosophy the turning-point does not come till the early part of the seventeenth century, and dates strictly from the publication Of the Discourse on Method in 1637.