Descartes: A Biography

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 Descartes: A Biography

sharply as follows, in the Sixth Objections: ‘No one has been able to com-

prehend your demonstration, by which you think you have demonstrated

that no bodily motion can be what you call thought. Can you show us –

forweare attentive and, we think, sufficiently intelligent – that is it impos-

sible for thoughts to emerge from those motions?’ (vii.) The other

principal objective of theMeditations,toprove the existence of God, was

so unsuccessful that some of his critics claimed that he was trying deviously

to support the opposite conclusion by illustrating the obvious weakness

of the strongest arguments he could find. Finally, Descartes’ discussion

of scepticism suffered precisely the outcome that he hoped to avoid. The

sceptical arguments that he borrowed from familiar contemporary sources,

and which he outlined so successfully in the First Meditation, caught the

imagination of readers then and since to such an extent that most remained

unconvinced that he had adequately addressed them. To the first gener-

ation of readers, the book seemed to be a failure, both commercially and

philosophically.

Leiden and Endegeest

Descartes lived in Leiden for about eleven months, from Aprilto

March.The original reason for moving there was to arrange an

advance printing of the draftMetaphysics. Once that plan was abandoned,

he decided to visit France and arrange for publication there instead. How-

ever, the ongoing row with the Jesuits convinced him that he should remain

where he was – so that, if they were to send written material, Mersenne

would be able to forward it immediately. This holding pattern continued

throughout, until Descartes’ financial situation improved and the

expected ‘war’ with the Jesuits failed to erupt.

Descartes had a number of very good friends in Leiden, including

Gillot, to whom Mersenne was asked to forward letters before Descartes’

arrival in, and Cornelis van Hogelande.Va n Hogelande was a

Catholic medical doctor, who apparently offered free drugs and medical

services to the indigent and, it seems, free accommodations to Descartes.

On one occasion, Descartes even assisted Van Hogelande in his medical

practice. One of De Wilhem’s daughters, most likely Johanna, who was

still a baby of less than a year old, suffered from rickets, which causes

a softening of the bones and distortion of the spine and legs. She had a

consultation with Van Hogelande and Descartes onJune. They