Abstract
The article addresses the early-modern conception of figuration, and more specifically the form in which it appears in Descartes’ early writings. There is textual evidence suggesting that Descartes was aware both of the mathematical and of the poetical characters of figures, contributing to the design of methodical processes. It is argued that figures play a central role in the Cartesian conception of method, in which figuration, leaning on the universal laws of geometry, is being used as carrier of data from reality to the observing mind and back, as well as from one domain of inquiry to another. It is therefore a central binder of the Cartesian ‘Unity of Science’, being responsible for the interconnectedness of various domains of inquiry.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 269-281 |
Number of pages | 13 |
Journal | Interdisciplinary Science Reviews |
Volume | 42 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 3 Jul 2017 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Descartes
- extension
- figure
- method
- science
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
- History and Philosophy of Science