And that makes it unfortunate that, every time a critical topic is broached, it gets sidelined after a few paragraphs with an admonition to the interested reader to pursue it further–with no suggestions for further reading given anywhere in the book. (Sort of. Kreeft does mention Pascal’s Pensées several times, including the very end of the book. The Pensées present an alternative viewpoint, but Pascal does not present counter-arguments in direct response to Descartes’ claims.)

On the bright side, Kreeft is far more sympathetic to Descartes than he was to any of the other philosophers in the series (Marx, Machiavelli, Sartre), leading to a much less abrasive tone to the book. Perhaps it is this very sympathy that leads him to venture into deeper waters, only to back out just when the topic gets interesting.

I’d be very interested to see a longer treatment from Dr. Kreeft. As it is, the book isn’t a waste of time, but it could have been so much more. At the very least, it cries out for a “suggestions for further reading” section.