René Descartes, Specimina philosophiae. Introduction and Critical Edition

Abstract

The Specimina philosophiae (Amsterdam: Elzevier, 1644) are preceded by a notice in which Descartes authorizes the text as a faithful translation of his Discours and Essais, and announces that he has made some changes in the original content. This raises questions about the nature, extent and background of these authorial interventions-questions that are all the more important because until well into the 19th century, the Latin version reached a far larger audience than the French text. Nonetheless, the differences between both texts had never been researched systematically. Corinna Vermeulen's thesis fills this lacuna, while also providing the first critical edition of the Specimina. The first chapter of the Introduction discusses the historical background of the translation, especially its link to the intended Latin publication of the objections and replies following the Discours and Essais, the identity of the translator, and the question as to why the Geometrie was not included in the translation. Chapter 2 goes into the printing and distribution of the text, which is connected to that of the Principia philosophiae. Vermeulen provides and interprets a variety of sources, some hitherto unknown, to shed new light on this part of the history of Descartes's works. Chapter 3 deals with the relation between the Specimina and their source text, analysing the translation's style against the background of contemporary translation theory and practice. It is shown that the translation is far from faithful, despite Descartes's claim to the contrary. The tools, stylistic and otherwise, which the translator used in order to adapt the text to its new audience are categorized and discussed. Special attention is given to the strategic modification of theologically problematic passages, and to Jacobus Revius' criticism of this procedure. Sifting through the many translator's liberties, Vermeulen highlights probable and certain authorial interventions, and where possible provides a background from Descartes's correspondence and other writings. The interventions are balanced by the passages which Descartes did not change, despite the flaws his correspondents and critics had pointed out. The errors in the translation prove that Descartes did not systematically correct it. A brief comparison is made with the other translations which Descartes authorized. In chapter 4, the principles underlying the edition are presented, and its most important predecessors discussed. It is argued that Neo-Latin texts should not be 'normalized'. Surveys of the use of capitals, accents and punctuation in the Specimina are included. The Latin text is provided with a critical apparatus, explanatory notes, and an apparatus which signals the divergences from the source text. It includes reproductions of the many woodcuts made for the 1644 edition, and notes on their differences from the original woodcuts. The appendices include Frans van Schooten's Animadversiones in Dioptricam, belonging with his Specimina edition of 1656; a discussion of the corrections found in the Munich copy of the Discours and Essais and their relation to the Specimina philosophiae; a list of post-classical words, meanings and phrases found in the text, and a list of unusual spellings.