Descartes' Bones: A Skeletal History Of The Conflict Between Faith And Reason (2008) - Plot & Excerpts
This was one of those audiobooks I snapped up on my "get all the nonfiction audiobooks possible from the library" spree a few months back. From the brief description on the jacket I was intrigued but knew nothing more than that. I wish I had passed it up. It's not that it is a bad book; I simply learned nothing from it. It's not actually a good book either. First, the narrator was fairly decent though a bit boring. I knew from the start that I would be frustrated by this book. The word "skeletal" is on the (sub)title. In this case, the author certainly provided a skeletal history that also lacks the crucial connecting bits. (As an aside, after my experience with a History of Philosophy class I should have known better than to read a book involving Medieval philosophical proofs and discussions. So boring!)My list of issues with the book is fairly long but I'll book it down to the essentials. First, for a book purportedly about the father of reason, the author uses a tremendous amount of religious language.Second (and most importantly) the two "halves of the book (philosophical discussion and "history" Descartes' remains) never really come together even when the author makes a Hail Mary attempt in the final chapter to connect them.Ultimately, the author fails to prove his point. This is a disappointing book because the author wastes such rich material.I don't recommend it. Mixed feelings about this book. Much more could have been done with the material, which is itself excellent. The book is too diffuse, narratively loose. Philosophy is done skimmingly, the epilogue is trite. But the book does offer a glimpse into the intellectual and political turmoils that shaped modernity. Also, the book contains some interesting trivia that philosophy and history of science books do not mention.
What do You think about Descartes' Bones: A Skeletal History Of The Conflict Between Faith And Reason (2008)?
It was well written, paralleling the history of the bone movement with the thought of the times.
—Dalia
Very clever, forces the mind to think about itself and our history with religion.
—SarahJaneLawrence
Far more fascinating than it had any right to be.
—jamielynne
