A geometrical argument fills the mind and allows one to see everything at a single glance
— Mersenne, Marin (1588-1648)
Author
Work Title
Place of Publication
Paris
Publisher
Michel de Soly
Date
1641
Metaphor
A geometrical argument fills the mind and allows one to see everything at a single glance
Metaphor in Context
These, Sir, are the points which we wanted you to clarify, so as to enable everyone to derive the utmost benefit from reading your Meditations, which are argued with great subtlety and are also, in our opinion, true. And after giving your solutions to these difficulties it would be worthwhile if you set out the entire argument in geometrical fashion, starting from a number of definitions, postulates and axioms. You are highly experienced in employing this method, and it would enable you to fill the mind of each reader so that he could see everything as it were at a single glance, and be permeated with awareness of the divine power.
(Second Set of Objections, p. 91-2)
(Second Set of Objections, p. 91-2)
Categories
Provenance
Past Masters
Citation
Descartes, René. The Philosophical Writings of Descartes. Trans. John Cottingham, Robert Stoothof, and Dugald Murdoch. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1985.
Date of Entry
10/07/2003
