Verantwoordingh van Renatus Descartes aen d’achtbare overigheit van Uitrecht

Utrecht has not only been the first place where Descartes’ ideas were taught, but also the city where Cartesian philosophy was first forbidden. The driving force behind this ban was the pastor and professor of theology Gijsbert Voetius. In 1648 Descartes sent a petition to the Utrecht city center to grant him reparation. The text of this edition is based on a transcription of the Dutch version of this petition, which has never been published before. The Accountability is a true Descartes text that offers a unique insight into the working method of the author.