Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Guide to Descartes' Meditations  By  cover art

Guide to Descartes' Meditations

By: J.-M. Kuczynski
Narrated by: Theo Holland
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $3.95

Buy for $3.95

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

In this work, Descartes' metaphysics and epistemology are clearly stated and assiduously analyzed. It is shown that Descartes' epistemic foundationalism is tenable, and that his mind-body dualism is correct if taken to concern the relationship of mentalistic (mind-related) data to physicalistic data, even though it is incorrect if taken to concern the relationship of mind per se to body per se. Descartes' analysis of causation is shown to be correct, notwithstanding the copious criticism to which centuries have subjected it. Descartes arguments for God's existence are clearly stated and, thereby, shown to be masterpieces of dialectical ingenuity.

©2016 John-Michael Kuczynski (P)2016 John-Michael Kuczynski

What listeners say about Guide to Descartes' Meditations

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    17
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    14
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    15
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

One Great Philosophy Analyzing Another

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This book is thorough and accurate, and it is a great book in its own right. Better than the Meditations, actually, since the epistemology put forth actually works, whereas Descartes' epistemology is the usual tired skeptical nonsense.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

The clarity. The sober tone.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

It had a disaffected, emotionally constricted quality that I did not always care for. But that was also the thing I liked about it; it was clean burning.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Keeping it Real

Any additional comments?

The book is a masterpiece of exposition and analysis. And it is way, way better than anything else I've read on Descartes.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

best book on Descartes

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

it is a concise and beautiful guide to knowledge-theory and to Descartes' views thereupon

Who was your favorite character and why?

it was non-fiction

What about Theo Holland’s performance did you like?

it was unadorned and easy to listen to

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

the distinction between foundationalism and coherentism

Any additional comments?

a brilliant book. people with small minds who need meaningless frills won't like it. people who like thought, as opposed to glop posing as thought, will like it. the author is meticulous in his reconstruction, and analysis of the descartes' arguments.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

better than Descartes, better than Russell

Would you listen to Guide to Descartes' Meditations again? Why?

because it answers questions not just about the history, but also the substance of philosophy.

What other book might you compare Guide to Descartes' Meditations to and why?

Russell's book on Leibniz, maybe, but better, more straightforward than that.

Which scene was your favorite?

The discussion of foundationslism.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Man v world

Any additional comments?

This is for smart people; small minds will need a less analytical and more narrative approach, and are likely to rail against it with the standard impotence-based slogans of 'textual accuracy', which is code for 'dumb it down for me.'

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

intersting explain of boring philosopher

Would you consider the audio edition of Guide to Descartes' Meditations to be better than the print version?

yes, because it is poetically written, which is easily overlooked when it is read

What was one of the most memorable moments of Guide to Descartes' Meditations?

the discussion of foundationalism

Which scene was your favorite?

the part where causation is discussed

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

struck by its authoritativeness

Any additional comments?

brilliant book, but not for beginners

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

best arguments for God's existence in literature

Would you listen to Guide to Descartes' Meditations again? Why?

Yes, it has to be listened to many times, because it is very thoughtful and deep.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I like the discussions of causation and how we can prove God's existence on the basis of knowledge of causality

Which character – as performed by Theo Holland – was your favorite?

I liked it when the author refutes the ontological argument.

If you could give Guide to Descartes' Meditations a new subtitle, what would it be?

beyond Descartes

Any additional comments?

great book, but the narrator sounds too much like my grandad

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars
Listener received this title free

Descartes

Ok. Everyone has so many different ideas on every subject. My opinion this guy may - have more book sense than common sense. - He may not be able to find the forest for the trees. But it's important to listen to different people's opinions but stay true to your opinions. This is what I took from this
I don't agree with everything he said. Theo Holland does a great job narraiting this book. if my review was any help will you please click the helpful link. Thank you

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

clear, easy to understand discussion

great explanations of foundationalism, the ontological argument and other themes internal and adjacent to Descartes' work. great exegesis too.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Over simplified to the point of being useless

It is not a matter of agreeing or disagreeing with the author, as much as it is a matter of the author over simplifying The Meditations to the point that Descartes' presentation of ideas would be unrecognizable to anyone who first read this and then read The Meditations. My favorite part (sarcasm alert) is where the author disagrees with one of Descartes arguments, so, he says, he will just skip it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful