Descartes' Bones: A Skeletal History of the Conflict Between Faith and Reason

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Descartes' Bones: A Skeletal History of the Conflict Between Faith and Reason

by Russell Shorto (Goodreads Author)

3.59 · rating details · 563 ratings · 156 reviews

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On a brutal winter's day in 1650 in Stockholm, the Frenchman René Descartes, the most influential and controversial thinker of his time, was buried after a cold and lonely death far from home. Sixteen years later, the French Ambassador Hugues de Terlon secretly unearthed Descartes' bones and transported them to France.

Why would this devoutly Catholic official care so much about the remains of a philosopher who was hounded from country to country on charges of atheism? Why would Descartes' bones take such a strange, serpentine path over the next 350 years—a path intersecting some of the grandest events imaginable: the birth of science, the rise of democracy, the mind-body problem, the conflict between faith and reason? Their story involves people from all walks of life—Louis XIV, a Swedish casino operator, poets and playwrights, philosophers and physicists, as these people used the bones in scientific studies, stole them, sold them, revered them as relics, fought over them, passed them surreptitiously from hand to hand.

The answer lies in Descartes’ famous phrase: Cogito ergo sum—"I think, therefore I am." In his deceptively simple seventy-eight-page essay, Discourse on the Method, this small, vain, vindictive, peripatetic, ambitious Frenchman destroyed 2,000 years of received wisdom and laid the foundations of the modern world. At the root of Descartes’ “method” was skepticism: "What can I know for certain?" Like-minded thinkers around Europe passionately embraced the book--the method was applied to medicine, nature, politics, and society. The notion that one could find truth in facts that could be proved, and not in reliance on tradition and the Church's teachings, would become a turning point in human history.

In an age of faith, what Descartes was proposing seemed like heresy. Yet Descartes himself was a good Catholic, who was spurred to write his incendiary book for the most personal of reasons: He had devoted himself to medicine and the study of nature, but when his beloved daughter died at the age of five, he took his ideas deeper. To understand the natural world one needed to question everything. Thus the scientific method was created and religion overthrown. If the natural world could be understood, knowledge could be advanced, and others might not suffer as his child did.

The great controversy Descartes ignited continues to our era: where Islamic terrorists spurn the modern world and pine for a culture based on unquestioning faith; where scientists write bestsellers that passionately make the case for atheism; where others struggle to find a balance between faith and reason.
Descartes’ Bonesis a historical detective story about the creation of the modern mind, with twists and turns leading up to the present day—to the science museum in Paris where the philosopher’s skull now resides and to the church a few kilometers away where, not long ago, a philosopher-priest said a mass for his bones.

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Hardcover, 299 pages

Published October 14th 2008 by Doubleday (first published January 1st 2008)

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Community Reviews

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Mar 13, 2010

Scot rated it

This is a stimulating book for those who like a well written, compelling narrative but are also interested in reflecting upon the broader sweep and impact of the history of ideas, more particularly the rise of modernism as summarized in the Enlightenment struggle between systems of Faith and those of Reason (and for that matter, the ongoing consequence of such struggles today, exemplified in fundamentalist challenges to rational understanding of the world around us, both here in the United State...moreThis is a stimulating book for those who like a well written, compelling narrative but are also interested in reflecting upon the broader sweep and impact of the history of ideas, more particularly the rise of modernism as summarized in the Enlightenment struggle between systems of Faith and those of Reason (and for that matter, the ongoing consequence of such struggles today, exemplified in fundamentalist challenges to rational understanding of the world around us, both here in the United States as demonstrated by the influence of the likes of Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, or the Texas State Board of Education, or abroad in the hegemonic rise of Islamic fundamentalism.

The paradigmatic drama Shorto selects to mark the rise of modernism is the publication in 1637 of Rene Descartes’ Discourse on the Method of Rightly Conducting the Reason and Seeking Truth in the Sciences. He describes the creation, message, and first reactions to this book in his first chapter, where he also introduces us to Descartes the man, and in an engaging style with elegant prose and masterful command of well chosen details, we are pulled into a summary story of not just his perceptions, but also his life struggles, adventures, and ultimate death. He dies in 1650 in Sweden, a guest at the court of the forward thinking, intellectual young monarch Queen Christina. And this is where it gets interesting. What exactly happened to Descartes’ physical remains following his death, the provenance of his bones as he was periodically dug up, moved around, honored, then reinterred--including a fascinating separation of the head and distinct side journey for his skull--becomes a thread with which to weave together, across disciplines, nations, wars, and centuries, the evolving applications of rational thought and the stumbling forward of scientific and social scientific advancement, even as along the way progressive thinkers were continually challenged by advocates of the medieval prominence given to faith before reason, albeit in different forms and institutional structures as the centuries progressed.

This is much more than just philosophy. It has lots of history, including the beginnings of many disciplines in the history of science, and it also draws upon art history, particularly as an investigative tool. I admire the way the story of the bones, perhaps a tad macabre but nonetheless inevitably interesting as it is traced down through the generations, continually provides opportunity and context for a cogent reflection on larger cultural or ideational shifts and recurring debates over ways of understanding the world around us. Shorto does not take a partisan approach, ridiculing advocates of religion and championing those who reject all systems of faith; he wisely notes failures in both systems and conveys a respect for always trying to see merit in the other’s perspective, of recognizing that on both an individual and a societal level we are usually trying to work out the best position on the continuum somewhere between the two extremes. In the end, however, we are all better off today for the wondering Descartes did back then.
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Jan 23, 2009

Seth rated it

The broader view of the book was very rewarding. I really enjoyed the "mind body question" and his explanation of how the modern era is separated by Decartes' grounding observations of rationalism and the absolute removal of assumptions. I enjoyed his treatment of religion and rationalism together. I also enjoyed Decartes' personal story. If the skeletal history theme were presented as a framework to contextualizing history (which was what seemed to be intended), without letting it...more

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Apr 06, 2009

Dave rated it

Shelves: non-fiction-read

A fascinating, to me, examination of the influence of Rene Descartes on modern thought. Starts with the great philosopher's death, with a brief summary of Descartes' life. Then a circuitous narrative showing the impact of the philosopher's ideas on the split between faith and reason flowing through the following centuries.

The narrative meandered considerably but the loops were interesting. The story is part forensic mystery, part history of philosophy and part discussion of the ...more

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Jan 09, 2009

Clif Hostetler rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: history

The author uses the story of Descartes' bones as a metaphor for the divisive and rambling path toward human progress. The use of Descartes' bones in this way is doubly clever because not only is the physical path of the bones mysterious and controversial; Descartes' philosophy of questioning received wisdom had its own controversy with traditional thinking. The book follows the history of The Enlightenment through to today's three-way tension between moderates, religious fundamentalist, and secu...more

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Apr 21, 2010

Ruth rated it

Shelves: giving-up-on, history-and-biography

I am listening to this in my car. Descartes was Catholic, but his thinking made many in the Church feel threatened. He died in Sweden, the story of Queen Christina is fascinating in it's own right. Am still in the early chapters--apparently relics are still a big thing when R.D. dies, so it seems his bones will not be left alone.

Now it is the 1790s and DesCartes has been dead for quite some time. The French Revolution has set up a new and disease free republic. Churches are gett...more

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Jan 19, 2009

Marcus rated it

Before reading this, I was only marginally familiar with Descartes and his contributions to philosophy and science. This book made catching up him and realizing his contributions to, and influence on, modern society very accessible and entertaining. The story of his bones traveling around was at times interesting, though it was definitely overshadowed by the history of his life and his influence after death.

I thought the author did a pretty good job of handling the balance between re...more

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Jul 27, 2011

Michael Johnston rated it

Frankly, this is one of the best and most interesting books I've ever read. Now, let me be clear - it's definitely not for everyone. However, it is a truly fascinating combination of a) the story of the foundations of western intellectual thought and b) a thrilling true crime mystery story. No, I'm not kidding. The book follows the path of Rene Descartes' bones (literally) as they mysteriously moved from place to place. Hundreds of years after his death, his head was on one place, his hand in an...more

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May 19, 2011

Barbara rated it

· review of another edition

This book was fascinating. It was the author's intent to correlate the trail of Descartes skeletal remains to that of scientific development sparked by his writings. While the bones' two exhumations and reinterments were triggered by changing social climates, largely a result of the reason vs. faith conflict, I didn't feel that the weave was always successful.

It is not a biography; the book begins, understandably, with Descartes' death in Sweden and a review of his philosophies reg...moreThis book was fascinating. It was the author's intent to correlate the trail of Descartes skeletal remains to that of scientific development sparked by his writings. While the bones' two exhumations and reinterments were triggered by changing social climates, largely a result of the reason vs. faith conflict, I didn't feel that the weave was always successful.

It is not a biography; the book begins, understandably, with Descartes' death in Sweden and a review of his philosophies regarding man's quest for knowledge. To begin properly, one must relinquish all accepted beliefs, question everything, including previous authorities (such as Aristotle and the Bible), and explore the world. Once everything else was removed, the only sure concept was that there was thinking occurring (paraphrased, "I think, therefore I am"). The vast field of knowledge was open and available to everyone, not just a select, few scholars.

While some embraced this with enthusiasm, any faction that relied on the power of superstition and magical thinking (such as the church) perceived a grave threat, and the conflict of reason vs. faith was born (and more fundamentally, mind vs. body). Descartes, a devout Christian, was troubled by this unintended consequence, and rather than espousing dualism, continued to search for a third element that unified mind and body. But the fire was already lit and it spread with dazzling speed.

There is an incredible volume of scientific development and history encased in this book. Shorto weaves the thread of Descartes' impact through the Enlightenment, the French and Industrial Revolutions, theories of evolution, and the creation of new disciplines such as anthropology. Freed of the shackles of "received wisdom", scientists were relentlessly unearthing nature's mysteries by experimentation and exploration.

The conflict engendered by Descartes' writings remains largely unresolved; religion and faith continue to satisfy some basic human need, and must be reconciled with the scientific developments that debunk their myths. (The clash has become fodder for commercially successful books and films, think Dan Brown and the Illuminati.) The solution is, no doubt, personal, arising from within that third element, the "passion", or heart, that somehow provides the interface.
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Jun 11, 2010

David rated it

This book makes the case that Descartes is the father of modernity. Daddy’s bones make for interesting history, mystery, and detective work, and they form a good platform to go off on other fun and interesting tangents, which the author is not shy about doing. Touching on everything from philosophy to science to religion, the author weaves into the story Descartes biography, biographical sketches from other historic figures that followed in his wake (such as Cuvier), the early history of crani...more

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Nov 07, 2009

Dave rated it

Shelves: biography, history, math-science, non-fiction

A book such as this touches on numerous subjects. Biography, math, science, philosophy, and even a bit of mystery creeps in, but as the subtitle indicates, it is history, and specifically the history of the conflict between faith and reason which is the primary focus of this work. “Descartes’ Bones (A Skeletal History of the Conflict Between Faith and Reason)” by Russell Shorto is an all too brief history of the subject, and naturally focuses almost exclusively on the aspect of the subject whi...moreA book such as this touches on numerous subjects. Biography, math, science, philosophy, and even a bit of mystery creeps in, but as the subtitle indicates, it is history, and specifically the history of the conflict between faith and reason which is the primary focus of this work. “Descartes’ Bones (A Skeletal History of the Conflict Between Faith and Reason)” by Russell Shorto is an all too brief history of the subject, and naturally focuses almost exclusively on the aspect of the subject which was impacted by the unusual history of Descartes’ remains.

Chapter one is titled “The Man Who Died” and is a brief discussion of Descartes focusing mainly on his death in 1650 and the circumstances which resulted in his being in Sweden, but also looks at Descartes own faith as well as the attitude towards his works during his lifetime. This is the start of the conflict, but I would have liked it to be a more thorough treatment of Descartes life than it was to provide a better foundation for the discussion.

“Banquet of Bones” is the second chapter and discusses the moving of Descartes’ Bones in 1666 from Sweden to France, but also advances the discussion of the conflict by looking at Cartesianism which arose as a result of Descartes’ teachings after his death. Another important discussion is about the taking of artifacts which plays a huge role in the story, as Descartes’ index finger is recorded as being taken at this time. There is also the hint of other bones being taken, though that was not discovered until much later.

“Unholy Relics” looks at the next period of the history of his remains, which were buried in St. Genevieve after being moved there from Sweden. The historical context for the next disruption is the French Revolution, and Russell Shorto provides a wonderful discussion of the role Descartes’ teachings played in the minds of people during that turbulent time. He also discusses the confusing history of what is known, but mostly what is unknown, about Descartes’ remains during this time.

“The Misplaced Head” discusses the revelation that the original skull was separated from the body, when a letter is sent from Sweden by Berzelius claiming to have found the original skull which he was also returning to France. There was a great debate by the Academy of Sciences at the time as to the veracity of the claim, with Cuvier taking the position that it was the skull and Delambre taking the position that it was far from proven. One of the key problems with the theory was that the evidence pointed to the skull being swapped, but there was no distinguishable skull with Descartes remains in France, so the question appeared to still be open, though ultimately the Academy accepted the skull as being authentic.

“Cranial Capacity” goes deeper into the discussion of the scientific debate at the time of whether or not brain size is directly related to intelligence, and how the skull which had been returned was used in that debate by both sides as evidence in the debate. Russell Shorto also discusses other scientific theories such as evolution and how the skull was used in those debates. Key in the debate on evolution is that how evolution played a role, but not in the conflict between faith and reason, but rather between religion and reason.

“Habeas Corpus” is (hopefully) the last chapter in the strange story of Descartes’ remains, and it discusses the final efforts to determine if the skull was really that of Descartes. There was an extensive amount of research done by Paul Richer looking at the artistic evidence of the portraits of Descartes done around the time of his death. In addition, this chapter discusses the event of losing the skull, though it was later found. Lastly, the author presents his theory for just what happened to Descartes’ Bones and who was responsible for much of the confusion and mystery around what happened to them.

“A Modern Face” is a short chapter which discusses the modern efforts to use the skull to reconstruct the face of Descartes, and along with the Epilogue provides a fitting ending to the tale.

In addition to the above, Russell Shorto several times relates the story being told to the fight between religion and secularism today, and though I agree with many of his positions on the increasingly radical view expressed by some of the atheists today, it does feel a bit out of place in this book. I also feel that he should have distinguished between faith and religion in stronger terms. His subtitle confuses the two to some extent, though one could argue that he is referring to people’s faith in a particular religion, rather than their faith in God. Overall, though, I found this to be a very entertaining read and well worth it for those who are interested in history.
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Aug 14, 2009

Jeff rated it

Russell Shorto has written a rather wonderful book that uses the confusion and conflicts over the physical remains of the philosopher René Descartes to explore how Descartes ideas about the importance of reason have both influenced Western history and thinking, and how the issues Descartes first raised are still troubling us in the 21st century. I could quibble about certain aspects of Shorto's style, and his tendency to repeat himself at times, but over all, this is an engaging both as a histo...more

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Jul 16, 2009

Jeb rated it

A slow start. It begins with Descartes dying. I suppose I should have been alerted to that by the title, but, my first thought through the handful of beginning pages was "he's dead...that's no good...what's the rest of the book going to be about."

Fortunately, I continued and now I'm being rewarded.

The most interesting new information I've learned is the impact that Cartesianism had on the concept of transubstantiation (if that's not familiar to you, it's the Cat...more

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Jan 27, 2011

Walter rated it

This is a fascinating, excellent book. The subject matter is intriguing - essentially an examination of modernity through the lens of the tale of the imminent philosopher Rene Descartes' remains - and the writing is strong, fluid and melodious as well. True, the tale does weaken a tad as it draws to a close (as the author seems to try to make too broad a statement/to weave too many themes together in order to arrive a big finish that is in fact diminished by the attempt). Until the last chapt...moreThis is a fascinating, excellent book. The subject matter is intriguing - essentially an examination of modernity through the lens of the tale of the imminent philosopher Rene Descartes' remains - and the writing is strong, fluid and melodious as well. True, the tale does weaken a tad as it draws to a close (as the author seems to try to make too broad a statement/to weave too many themes together in order to arrive a big finish that is in fact diminished by the attempt). Until the last chapter or two, though, the tale is gripping and enjoyably relayed. As such, it makes for a most edifying experience: the reader learns a lot and enjoys the trip greatly, too.

The story of Descartes' Bones is a fascinating one, and in telling it the author surveys philosophy, the history of science, modern European history, the development of thought, the impact of Cartesianism, etc., along the way. There is just so much good stuff here and it is revealed almost as if in a novel. Shorto is so compelling in his presentation that you almost wonder at times if he is indeed making this stuff up, but, thankfully, as we all know, truth is stranger (and more interesting most of the time) than fiction. One definitely comes away from the book with a greater appreciation for the groundbreaking nature of Descartes' contribution and impact. Cogito ergo sum is far more than a pithy slogan; it was and is truly one of the watershed markers in our history as a species.

Contrasting its myriad strengths are two modest but noticeable weaknesses: First, there is so much detail that at times the asides can be too much of a distraction from the main point(s) the author is trying to make. Yes, his reseach is clearly both voluminous and fascinating, but the level of detail here is so prodigious that it makes it harder to separate the wheat from the chaff, so to speak. Second, as previously mentioned, the Epilogue (and, really, the last chapter in which he shares his unfortunate conclusion relative to the philosopher's bodily remains) feels invented in the sense that it tries to rope in so many different trends of thought and ideas that it begins to work against itself. For example, the stories of some of his contemporary subjects in the Epilogue are far less interesting (and feel less germane, too), so the effect is one that hurts the reader's confidence in the author's conclusions.

This being said, there is so much excellent work here - both in terms of researching the subject and relaying it as well - that I heartily recommend it. The subject matter could seem off-puttingly high brow or dry upon first glance, but Shorto brings it alive in a way that shows how very different reality can be from our (uninformed) thoughts and feelings. Enjoy the history and the journey in this book. As the author contends, the story of Descartes' bones really does tell us a great deal about who we are and how we have come to be this way....(less)

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Jan 09, 2009

James rated it

Interesting premise. The author uses the strange history of Rene Descartes' remains after his internment as a means to illuminate the development of "modern" rationalism (rightly or wrongly attributed to Descartes) and its conflict with "faith" based world views. Not quite finished but overall very thought-provoking and generally well-written. My favorite passage to date: "If the West is heading toward some kind of crisis, it's worth asking ourselves a few basic ques...more

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Oct 23, 2011

Kerrie rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, non-fiction

Not really knowing anything about Descartes, this was an excellent introduction to him and his philosophy with the added awesome factor of how his bones and skull trotted across Europe over the course of centuries due to admirers wanting a relic of his remains. Ironic, since Descartes, despite being religious, gave rise to the philosophy of materialism and atheism during the Enlightenment.

The narrative flowed smoothly as Shorto laid out the journey of Descartes' bones. It was not linea...more

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May 21, 2011

Penny rated it

· review of another edition

"It was as though staring into what is surely the blackest of all holes-the grave of one's child-pulled him out of the body, led him to the conclude that it would not give up its secrets so easily, and compelled him to look to the universe for answers."

The rest of the book is just as beautifully written, although he does indulge in some meandering. But overall great look into the Age of Enlightenment and the father of the Modern Age. The story of his skull is infamous. I r...more

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May 05, 2011

Peter rated it

When my mother gave me this book for Christmas, it appealed to me on many levels. I tend to enjoy reading about important historical figures in the sciences, and associated Descartes' name with the cartesian coordinate system and philosophy. I've also really enjoyed the books I've read about human evolution and how anthropologists use bones to decifer our history, so the reference to his bones didn't hurt. But the subtitle, "A Skeletal History of the Conflict Between Faith and Reason,"...more

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Mar 10, 2009

Holly rated it

The premise was an interesting one, the history surrounding the remains of Descartes. Descartes didn't himself feature in the book but, again, the remains or consequences of what he started did. Finding out a tad more about Descartes, such as hurling an insult at Pascal, (really??!), having a love affair, a child, and a rather substantial arrogance regarding his own intelligence-was interesting.
But the world of science after Descartes is the true subject of this book, and the culminatio...more

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Dec 11, 2009

Helen Southall rated it

A long, but interesting treatise about the life and philosophy of Rene' Descartes. Focusing on the mystery of his bones which seemed to have been lost and refound from his death in the 1600’s to today, the author traces the evolution of Cartesian/Modernistic thinking with the changing philosophy of each major period in history. His discussions of the conflicts between Descarte’s philosophy and the religious and political climate of the times helps to clarify the impact of his ideas. Especiall...more

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Jan 09, 2009

Liz DeCoster rated it

Shelves: non-fiction, philosophy-theory, science

This book is hard to classify. It's sort of a history of science, or a history of modernism, or even more specifically a history of the philosophy of science. I would liken it to books such as The Measure of All Things in that the author relates the specific (the migration of Descartes' body after his death in Sweden) to a more general idea (the evolution of Descartes' ideas about the mind/body problem) over a specific period of time. He draws his stories and examples from a wide range of discip...more

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Jul 10, 2010

Jeffrey Taylor rated it

· review of another edition

I find this a book very difficult to evaluate. Well written, organized and research yet it leaves me feeling unsatisfied. It is a sweeping view of history, philosophy, culture. We get some background into Descartes, life and his conflict with the Church. We learn of his followers and opponents. We get a overview of the conflict of faith and reason, the mind body problem and locate him in relation to the history of science and philosophy. But after chewing over his bones, the feast left me ...more

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Feb 08, 2010

Dan rated it

A discursive look at the history of scientific inquiry since the Middle Ages. Using the search for and disputes over Descartes's skull and bones as a metaphor, Shorto describes the conflict between science and religion through a series of vignettes. Some of his side trips are pretty arbitrary (I imagined him mentioning that Descartes wrote at a desk, then giving a brief history of office furniture), but most are interesting, and Shorto writes well. The best parts of the book come first: the d...more

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Sep 29, 2011

Chad Kohalyk rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: anyone interested in philosophy of science or intellectual history

Shelves: audio

A very interesting romp through the intellectual history of Europe since the 17th century, with the remains of Descartes as the tour guide. The writing is good, but there is not much of a critical analysis as promised in the sub-title "a Skeletal History of the Conflict Between Faith and Reason". His conclusions are stated at the beginning and very end of the book, and although he poo-poos "religious fundamentalists" he sides with a Catholic apologist to counteract "Enli...more

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Oct 24, 2009

Patrick rated it

The earthly remains of René Descartes have been disinterred several times since his death in 1650, and with each disturbance, some of his bones vanished into the hands of venerators. The irony of the material legacy of the philosopher of reason being regarded similarly to the relics of saints is not lost on Shorto, who pairs a detective narrative with his thoughts about what the story reveals about skepticism versus belief as features of modernity. As Shorto relates, uncertainty about the authen...more

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Sep 16, 2009

Franco rated it

Shelves: non-fiction

Viviamo in un operiodo storico in cui scienza e ragione sono sotto attacco su piu' fronti. Questo libro, seguendo la storia delle ossa di Cartesio ci riporta indietro di alcuni secoli aiutandoci a riscoprire il valore della ragione. La lenta e sofferta accettazione delle idee di Cartesio ci ricorda che molte delle posizioni che diamo per scontate e siamo disponibili a barattare in nome di un presunto rispetto della diversita' o della tolleranza sono state difficili conquiste che hanno richiesto...more

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Aug 20, 2009

Pat rated it

This book was recommended by Veralene and I agree with her that this is a good book to read. It's an interesting book because Descartes started a more modern way of thinking - he sort of bridged the thinking of the Middle Ages into the modern era. But the story that Shorto tells, while about his philosophy, is also about the fact that his bones after his death went on something of a pilgrimage. He did in Sweden, far from France, not because of exile but because Christina, the Queen of Sweden,...more

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Aug 02, 2011

Vanessa rated it

I love history of science books and this one is a good mix of just that - history and science and philosophy too. So all in all I was not disappointed. I had originally thought it would focus more on stories involving his bones' travels in time (i.e., who held them, why they took/stole/kept them, etc.) and in the end it was much more than that. But it was still, I thought, a bit more skeletal than it could have been, a bit less indepth in its discussion of the philosophical and scientific a...more

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Mar 04, 2010

Pat rated it

An amazingly rich and fulfilling story of the faith/reason debate that has been going on since the dawn of the Age of Enlightenment. What Shorto does is identify several episodes in the story of Descarte's bones, and he outlines the historical and political and religious background necessary to appreciate these episodes. It turns out that to tell the story of Descartes' bones it really is necessary to tell the story of how we "moderns" came to be what we are -- and to outline many of t...more

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Jan 13, 2010

Becky rated it

First, this is far more of a biography and history book than it is a philosophy text - thank goodness. And as such it's an extremely entertaining look at the history of the philosophy and bones (more than the philosophy itself) of René Descartes ("I think therefore I am."). The ideas of Descartes changed the world and today we all think we are independent thinkers. In his own time the church was outraged, although Descartes was a religious man; today he’s almost revered - alth...more

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Mar 23, 2010

BJ Rose rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, reference, historical

Descartes died in Stockholm in 1650. Three burials, 3 centuries, and 6 countries later, we have this philosophical book. In it, the author traces the journey of Descartes' remains, which began with "a ceremony of repackaging" when the bones were disinterred and placed in a 2' copper casket because 16 years in a wooden casket had left nothing but bones. And then there was The Mystery of the Misplaced Head!

So this book was part forensic mystery as the author tried to trace e...more

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About Russell Shorto

Russell Shorto is the author of a book on the Dutch origins of New York City: The Island at the Center of the World. His most recent work, published in October 2008, is Descartes' Bones, which traces the wanderings of the literal skull and bones of René Descartes through three and a half centuries, and also traces the metaphorical remains of the French philosopher in the modern world.
A 1981 ...more

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“We are graced with a godlike ability to transcend time and space in our minds but are chained to death.” — 5 people liked it

“They had applied their doubts to the very head that had introduced doubt as a tool for advancing knowledge. And in the end they gave the head a nod.” — 2 people liked it

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title link	preview: Descartes' Bones: A Skeletal History of the Conflict Between Faith and Reason
avg rating	preview: Descartes' Bones: A Skeletal History of the Conflict Between Faith and Reason Goodreads rating: 3.59 (563 ratings)
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2788874-descartes-bones?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320445390m/2788874.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2788874-descartes-bones?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Descartes' Bones: A Skeletal History of the Conflict Between Faith and Reason by Russell Shorto[/url]

Descartes' Bones: A Skeletal History of the Conflict Between Faith and Reason

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