Descartes' Bones: A Skeletal History of the Conflict between Faith and Reason
Author:
Genre: History
Book Type: Hardcover
Author:
Genre: History
Book Type: Hardcover
Anna L. (annalovesbooks) reviewed on
ISBN 038551753X - It was the "faith and reason" part of the subtitle that made me curious about this book. I've read everything that's come my way on this topic and ISBN 0385504209 The Da Vinci Code really opened the floodgates in popular books to feed the obsession. Descartes is just enough of a recognized historical figure for the average, non-philosophy reader, to make the book sound like something it isn't. I think that both the serious philosophy student and the less-informed casual reader will be disappointed.
Beginning with a brief, not too detailed account of Descartes' life, author Shorto attempts to grab a handful of threads and weave them into an engaging story that spans 350 years and all of modernity. Descartes' death and burial in Sweden, the exhumation and removal of his remains to France, and on through several ceremonies celebrating his contributions, these events are something of a centerpiece around which all else in the book revolves as Shorto traces the whereabouts of the philosopher's physical remains and the worldview of religion v science.
The arguments of the accuracy of the information within the book, the theories of both Descartes and Shorto, and the titles and laurels Descartes may or may not deserve, are all interesting debate fodder. Rather than go into those details, I'm trying to stick to a review of the actual book - and it's difficult. The story of Descartes' remains might be fascinating, in a way, but it isn't really the focus of the book. The focus of the book, sadly, is so wide-ranging and so far-reaching, that a casual reader will find themselves a bit bogged down. Dozens of men, over centuries, play a role, and all of their contributions to various sciences are explained. To do this, the central story is repeatedly de-railed, making it very easy to put the book down at almost any time - and not necessarily rush to pick it back up. Worse, to introduce so many high profile people and a brief review of their resumes in under 300 pages hardly does justice to any of them, least of all Descartes.
The most valuable information in the book, for the serious reader, is likely to be the 13-page bibliography. The casual reader will probably find it difficult to finish and harder to care. No argument on the conflict between religion and science is really made and it seems a bit obvious that the author is suddenly rushed, near the end, to GET to the end. The mention of September 11, 2001, might have had a place in a book that stood somewhere specific on the religion/science debate. This book doesn't do that and that makes the September 11th mention gratuitous, a somewhat desperate attempt to stick a bow on a poor wrapping job.
- AnnaLovesBooks
Beginning with a brief, not too detailed account of Descartes' life, author Shorto attempts to grab a handful of threads and weave them into an engaging story that spans 350 years and all of modernity. Descartes' death and burial in Sweden, the exhumation and removal of his remains to France, and on through several ceremonies celebrating his contributions, these events are something of a centerpiece around which all else in the book revolves as Shorto traces the whereabouts of the philosopher's physical remains and the worldview of religion v science.
The arguments of the accuracy of the information within the book, the theories of both Descartes and Shorto, and the titles and laurels Descartes may or may not deserve, are all interesting debate fodder. Rather than go into those details, I'm trying to stick to a review of the actual book - and it's difficult. The story of Descartes' remains might be fascinating, in a way, but it isn't really the focus of the book. The focus of the book, sadly, is so wide-ranging and so far-reaching, that a casual reader will find themselves a bit bogged down. Dozens of men, over centuries, play a role, and all of their contributions to various sciences are explained. To do this, the central story is repeatedly de-railed, making it very easy to put the book down at almost any time - and not necessarily rush to pick it back up. Worse, to introduce so many high profile people and a brief review of their resumes in under 300 pages hardly does justice to any of them, least of all Descartes.
The most valuable information in the book, for the serious reader, is likely to be the 13-page bibliography. The casual reader will probably find it difficult to finish and harder to care. No argument on the conflict between religion and science is really made and it seems a bit obvious that the author is suddenly rushed, near the end, to GET to the end. The mention of September 11, 2001, might have had a place in a book that stood somewhere specific on the religion/science debate. This book doesn't do that and that makes the September 11th mention gratuitous, a somewhat desperate attempt to stick a bow on a poor wrapping job.
- AnnaLovesBooks
