Discovering Hidden Letters: De Raey and Clauberg's Secret Cartesian Correspondence

In the fascinating world of 17th-century philosophy, there's an intriguing tale of three unpublished letters. These letters, penned by the Dutch philosopher Johannes de Raey (1620-1702), were sent to his former student Johannes Clauberg (1622-1665) over a span of ten years, from 1651 to 1661. The letters, filled with suggestions for defending Cartesian philosophy and navigating academic politics, reveal a deep friendship and a shared mission to counter criticisms from figures like Jacob Revius and Cyriacus Lentulus. Revius's "Statera philosophiae cartesianae" and Lentulus's "Nova Renati Descartes sapientia" were works that challenged Cartesian thought. Clauberg responded with "Defensio cartesiana" in 1652, aiming to refute the critiques. De Raey's letters, written during this time, show a cooperative effort between the two philosophers to rebuff these challenges quietly. They didn't want to stir trouble with the theologians in Leiden. Despite their efforts to keep their work hidden, the correspondence between De Raey and Clauberg was violated. This breach led to the publication of Lentulus's book and the escalation of debates over the new philosophy. Interestingly, even with the secrecy, traces of their collaboration can be found in subtle quotes linking Clauberg's and De Raey's published texts. This story uncovers the delicate balance philosophers had to maintain in advocating for new ideas while avoiding political backlash. It's a reminder of the risks and rewards of intellectual pursuit in a time of intense scrutiny.

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