Year of Reading 10: "Descartes: His Life and Times"

One of the best parts of my job in Kuwait is the fact that I get to teach Philosophy. Considering I only took two classes at university, this is pretty amazing. I have been teaching the subject now for two years, and while I sometimes have to let another teacher teach another section, I guard my turf pretty severely.

Of course, by teaching this course, the administration assumes that I know what I am talking about (the fools). To make sure I really do, I get to read Philosophy books from time to time. The first one I have read this summer is a biography of Descartes by A.C. Grayling. I really enjoyed this book, particularly all of the side histories that were taking place during Descartes' life. I got to read a little of the Thirty Years War, the Fronde, learned about Jesuits and Galileo, and the slight masculine Queen of Sweden. I also learned a little bit about Descartes, though to be honest, not a whole lot of his philosophy.

Of course, I already know a bit of his philosophy. Descartes is most famous for writing "Cogito, ergo sum" ("I think, therefore I am"). I get to teach about this every year. Descartes was trying to prove his own existance, and ends up also proving the existence of a loving God. His argument isn't the most modern, though he is considered the father of modern philosophy.

One thing I liked about the book was Descartes exploration of the issue of happiness. He compared different types of people and their potential. Even though some people have less potential than others, this doesn't mean that they can't be as happy. As Descartes says: "A small glass can be as full as a large one."

So if you'd like to learn a few things (and who wouldn't), check out this work.