Selections from the Principles of Philosophy

Principles of Philosophy (Principia philosophiae) is a book by René Descartes. It is basically a synthesis of the Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy[1] It was written in Latin, published in 1644 and dedicated to Elisabeth of Bohemia, with whom Descartes had a long standing friendship. This book contains translation from the Original Texts, with a new introductory Essay, Historical and Critical by John Veitch and a Special Introduction by Frank Sewall.

When we further reflect on the various ideas that are in us, it is easy to perceive that there is not much difference among them, when we consider them simply as certain modes of thinking, but that they are widely different, considered in reference to the objects they represent; and that their causes must be so much the more perfect according to the degree of objective perfection contained in them.