Descartes: A Biography

c CUNYB/Clarke     December, :

Metaphysics in a Hornet’s Nest (–) 

that, if they were to make a negative recommendation, he would even

consider not publishing the book at all (viii.).

The famous letter to Father Dinet concluded one episode in Descartes’

unrelenting efforts, during the publication of theMeditations,toprotect his

project from potential theological objections. Unfortunately, it also opened

hostilities on another front – with Calvinist theologians in Utrecht –

which are discussed in Chapter.

Publishing theMeditations

Descartes returned to writing metaphysics, after an interval of ten years,

in part because his discussion of God and the human mind in theDiscourse

had raised objections that were inadequately discussed there. From the

outset, he was keenly aware of danger from theological critics, and this fear

was magnified by what he understood as an imminent threat of criticism

from the Jesuits in France. These exaggerated worries are reflected in the

way in which he carefully managed the publication of his metaphysics and

sought an official approval from the theology faculty at the Sorbonne. After

all, the Sorbonne had been very critical of the Jesuits in France and had

made sure that they were not allowed to confer degrees in their colleges.

Its theology faculty was also more closely aligned than the ‘foreign’ Jesuits

with the bishops in France, so that if they approved hisMeditations,he

could confidently ignore whatever the Jesuits might say.

By March, although Descartes was still in Santpoort, he was

planning to move to Leiden ‘in about five or six weeks time’ to over-

see the printing of theMeditations.This cannot have been a very firm

plan, since onApril he speaks openly about the possibility of visiting

England.He did move to Leiden sometime beforeMay,and he

sent his draft metaphysics to Utrecht, to Regius and Aemilius, who were

reported as being ‘charmed to ecstasy’ by the essay.Descartes mentions

during May that he might visit Utrecht to hear Regius’ lectures. Since

the local critics of Regius thought that Descartes was the main source

of the erroneous views taught at Utrecht, if the French visitor were to

attend the lectures, he acknowledged that he would have to hide behind

the curtain used by Anna Maria van Schurman when she listened to lec-

tures given by Voetius.By the end of the month, he was considering

leaving Leiden to live in Amersfoort, which is aboutkilometres north-

east of Utrecht, and offering to visit Regius en route when passing through