Descartes and the rise of modern philosophy -- Background to Descartes' meditations -- Descartes' innovations in how philosophy is written -- Lead-in to the first meditation -- The first meditation -- The second meditation -- The third meditation -- The fourth meditation -- The fifth meditation -- The sixth meditation -- A a summary of Cartesian commitments -- Topical highlights from Descartes' correspondence -- Questions about descartes -- Transition to the remainder of the book -- Spinoza -- Ov