The DescartesLab is a research group directed by Fabrizio Baldassarri and Simone Guidi, dedicated to promoting online seminars and scholarly discussions on René Descartes and 17th-century Cartesianism. The research group provides an intellectual forum for early-career researchers (PhD students and post-doctoral scholars) to present and share their work, exchange ideas, and engage with recent publications in a collegial and stimulating environment.

Its seminars and meetings explore Descartes’s thought and life from a wide-ranging perspective, addressing both central themes (such as the cogito, the mind, dualism, and so on) and less-explored aspects of his philosophy, science, and intellectual legacy. By bridging together established lines of inquiry and emerging research, the DescartesLab seeks to broaden the scope of Cartesian scholarship, reaffirming the central place of Descartes in current debates and promoting new approaches.

First meeting: 29 September 2026, with the presentation of Théodora Psychoyou et Isabelle His’s book, Penser, composer, pratiquer la musique au temps de Descartes (Champion, 2024) – poster

Second meeting: 19 January, 2027, with the presentation of Gianluca Mori’s book, Descartes the History of a Mind (Brill. 2024) – poster

Third meeting: 2 March, 2027, with the presentation of Vili Lähteenmäki, Oberto Marrama, and Jani Sinokki’s book, Cartesianism and Philosophy of Mind (Routledge 2026) – poster

Fourth meeting: 11 May 2027, with the presentation of Leendert van der Miesen’s book, Marin Mersenne and the Study of Harmony (Routledge 2025) – poster