DESCARTES ŞI CERCUL LUI HARTLIB: UN EPISOD DE COMUNICARE A CUNOAŞTERII ÎN PERIOADA MODERNITĂŢII TIMPURII
Descartes and the Hartlib Circle: an episode of knowledge communication in the early modern period

Summary/Abstract: This paper discusses the various strategies taken bySamuel Hartlib in order to approach Descartes. I argue that Hartlib tried, at least twice,to put Descartes in contact with his own philosophical agenda. However, none of theseattempts were done directly, but through the use of intermediaries. I detail the case ofthe 1638–1640 approach, then the 1648 letter exchanges, with a greater focus on thesecond episode (involving Henry More), which also reflects several additional philosophicalpoints. The aim of the paper is to go beyond Webster’s classical study of the correspondencebetween More and William Petty and to argue that Hartlib’s secondapproach carried the mark of another agenda, which was not that much directed towardDescartes, but with imposing Hartlib’s views at the University of Cambridge.

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