These two great seventeenth-century philosophers aimed to break free of oppressive
traditions. Free scientific inquiry led them to skeptically question everything, though they also tried
to reconcile science with religious faith. Both Descartes and Bacon extolled the individual, arguing
that the human mind can penetrate the deepest secrets of existence. Their ideas formulated the
problems that would occupy philosophers for the next three hundred years.

The World of Philosophy series is a dramatic presentation, in understandable language, of the concerns,
questions, interests, and overall outlook of the world's great philosophers and philosophical traditions.
Special emphasis on clear and relevant explanations gives you a new arsenal of insights toward living
a better life.

Vanderbilt University