The figural go-between in the Cartesian conception of science

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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 languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)269-281
Number of pages13
JournalInterdisciplinary Science Reviews
Volume42
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 3 Jul 2017
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Descartes
  • extension
  • figure
  • method
  • science

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
  • History and Philosophy of Science

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