Cartesian and Anti-Cartesian Disputations and Corollaries at Utrecht University, 1650–1670

This chapter investigates the reception and teaching of Cartesianism at Utrecht University between 1650 and 1670, based upon the disputations for and against Descartes, with special attention to the corollaries. Corollaries, usually a list of short propositions below the text of the disputation, may relate to the topic discussed in the disputation but do not necessarily relate to the said topic. Sometimes they address contemporary issues in philosophy and science, such as the Copernican system, Harvey’s discovery of blood circulation, or Cartesian philosophy. Corollaries can supply information on current debates within the academy, even when the texts of the disputations themselves are silent on these topics.