# Richard Watson (philosopher) > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Richard_Watson_(philosopher) > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Richard_Watson_(philosopher).md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Watson_(philosopher) > Source revision: 1321971736 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) American philosopher, speleologist, and author (1931–2019) This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages) This article relies excessively on references to primary sources. Please improve this article by adding secondary or tertiary sources. Find sources: "Richard Watson" philosopher – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (September 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this message) This article needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Richard Watson" philosopher – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (September 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this message) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Richard A. Watson Born (1931-02-23)February 23, 1931[1] Died September 18, 2019(2019-09-18) (aged 88) Employer Washington University in St. Louis Philosophical work Era Contemporary philosophy Region Western philosophy Main interests History of philosophy **Richard Allan Watson** (February 23, 1931 – September 18, 2019) was an American [philosopher](/source/Philosopher), [speleologist](/source/Speleologist) and author.[2] ## Biography Watson taught philosophy at [Washington University in St. Louis](/source/Washington_University_in_St._Louis) for forty years. He was considered one of the foremost living authorities on [Descartes](/source/Descartes).[3][4] He was an [Emeritus Professor](/source/Emeritus_Professor) of Philosophy for Washington University.[5] Watson earned a degree in geology specializing in "paleoclimatology of 10,000 years ago." This involved the development of agrarian societies in the [Fertile Crescent](/source/Fertile_Crescent).[6] From July 1965 to July 1967, he was president of the [Cave Research Foundation](/source/Cave_Research_Foundation).[7] His book, *Cogito, Ergo Sum: a life of René Descartes* is a travelogue in the form of following Descartes's travels around Europe. It was chosen by the [New York Public Library](/source/New_York_Public_Library) as one of its "25 Books to Remember from 2002."[6] ## Criticism of animal rights Watson authored the article *Self-consciousness and the Rights of Nonhuman Animals and Nature*, which argued that most animals do not have [rights](/source/Animal_rights) such as the rights for freedom or from unnecessary suffering because they are not moral agents, do not possess self-consciousness, free will, or have the capability for understanding moral principles or the physical capability to act according to given principles of duty.[8] According to Watson, an animal deserving of rights must have a well developed brain to discern "right from wrong".[8] ## Selected publications Richard A. Watson's publications include the following books and articles: - *Cogito, Ergo Sum: a life of Rene Descartes*. David R Godine. 2007 [2002]. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-56792-335-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-56792-335-3). Was chosen by the New York Public library as one of "25 Books to Remember from 2002"[9] - *The Philosopher's Demise: Learning French*. [David R Godine](/source/David_R_Godine). 2003. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-56792-227-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-56792-227-1).Has been translated into Italian - [*The Philosopher's Diet: how to lose weight and change the world*](https://archive.org/details/philosophersdiet00wats). David R Godine. 1999. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-56792-084-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-56792-084-0).Has been translated into nine languages. - [*Niagara*](https://archive.org/details/niagaranovel00wats). [Coffee House Press](/source/Coffee_House_Press). 2000. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-56689-006-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-56689-006-9).. The biography of the first person to cross the Falls on a wire, and the first person(a woman) to go over the Falls in a barrel. The French translation has featured at the Saint-Malo Ettonants voyageurs Festival International du Lirre in 1997, where it won a translation award. - *Descartes's Ballet: His Doctrine Of Will & Political Philosophy*. St. Augustines Press. 2004. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-58731-175-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-58731-175-8). - *In the Dark Cave*. Star Bright Books. 2005. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-59572-038-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-59572-038-2). - Watson, Richard A. The Downfall of Cartesianism. [The Hague](/source/The_Hague): [Martinus Nijhoff](/source/Martinus_Nijhoff_Publishers), 1966. - Watson, R.A. The breakdown of Cartesian metaphysics. - Atlantic Highlands (N.J.) : Humanities press intern., 1987. - XII, 240 p. Bibliogr.: p. 223-235. Name ind.: p. 237-240.[10] - RICHARD A. WATSON. [The Breakdown of Cartesian Metaphysics](https://books.google.com/books?id=r9d_bApUpicC). [Hackett Publishing](/source/Hackett_Publishing) Company, 1998. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780872204065](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780872204065)[11] - *Representational Ideas from Plato to Patricia Churchland* ([Kluwer Academic Publishers](/source/Kluwer_Academic_Publishers)) - *Under Plowman's Floor* - *The Runner* - *The Longest Cave* (with [Roger W. Brucker](/source/Roger_W._Brucker)) (hb Alfred A. Knopf, pb Southern Illinois University Press) - The high road to Pyrrhonism / Ed. by Watson R.A., Force J.E. - San Diego: Hill, 1980. - XIV, 385 p. - (Studies in Hume a. Scott. philosophy; 2) Indices.: p. 369-385. ### Articles - Watson is the author of the [Encyclopædia Britannica](/source/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica) article on Descartes.[4] - "Berkeley in a Cartesian Context". // Revue Internationale de Philosophie 65 (1963), 381–94.[12] - "[Berkeley](/source/Bishop_Berkeley) in the [Cartesian](/source/Cartesianism) Tradition." Papers of the Michigan Academy of Science, Arts and Letters 48 (1963):587-97. - "The Breakdown of Cartesian Metaphysics." [Journal of the History of Philosophy](/source/Journal_of_the_History_of_Philosophy) 1 (1963):177-97. - ["Self-Consciousness and the Rights of Nonhuman Animals and Nature"](https://www.pdcnet.org/enviroethics/content/enviroethics_1979_0001_0002_0099_0129). [Environmental Ethics](/source/Environmental_Ethics) (1979) Vol. 1, N 2. pp. 99-129. - "What moves the mind: An excursion in Cartesian dualism". [Amer. philos. quart.](/source/American_Philosophical_Quarterly) - Oxford, 1982. - vol. 19, N 1. - p. 73-81. - "Shadow History". [Journal of the History of Philosophy](/source/Journal_of_the_History_of_Philosophy) (1993) Vol. 31, N 1. - pp. 95-109. - "Having ideas". [Amer. philos. quart.](/source/American_Philosophical_Quarterly) - Oxford, 1994. - Vol. 31, N 3. - P. 185–198. - "Malebranche and Arnauld on ideas" // [Mod. schoolman](/source/The_Modern_Schoolman). - Saint Louis, 1994. - Vol. 71, N 4. - P. 259–270. ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Richard A. Watson's Biography](https://www.amazon.com/Richard-A.-Watson/e/B000AP7U7Q/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2?qid=1330977896&sr=8-2) at the [Amazon.com](/source/Amazon.com) website. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["DR. RICHARD ALLAN WATSON Obituary (1931 - 2019) Boston Globe"](https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/bostonglobe/obituary.aspx?pid=193962865). *[Legacy.com](/source/Legacy.com)*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [Brothers Judd reviews](http://brothersjudd.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/reviews.detail/book_id/1519/). 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Britannica_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Britannica_4-1) Watson, Richard A. (31 March 2012). ["René Descartes"](http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/158787/Rene-Descartes). *[Encyclopædia Britannica](/source/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica)*. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc. Retrieved 31 March 2012. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Richard Watson Emeritus Professor of Philosophy"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110811032524/http://philosophy.artsci.wustl.edu/Richard_Watson). Washington University in St. Louis. Archived from [the original](http://philosophy.artsci.wustl.edu/Richard_Watson) on 2011-08-11. Retrieved March 31, 2012. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-autobio_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-autobio_6-1) Watson, Richard (March 31, 2012). ["Autobiography"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110715183540/http://www.richardwatsonbooks.com/newsletter.htm). Archived from [the original](http://www.richardwatsonbooks.com/newsletter.htm) on 2011-07-15. Retrieved 2012-03-31. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-longest-cave_7-0)** Brucker, Roger W.; Watson, Richard A. (1987) [1st pub. 1976 New York: Knopf]. *The Longest Cave*. Carbondale, Illinois: Southern Illinois University Press. p. 198. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0809313219](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0809313219). 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Povilitis_1980_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Povilitis_1980_8-1) Povilitis, Anthony J. (1980). ["On Assigning Rights to Animals and Nature"](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261879243). *Environmental Ethics*. **2** (1): 67–71. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.5840/enviroethics19802110](https://doi.org/10.5840%2Fenviroethics19802110). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Watson, Richard (2007). [*Cogito, Ergo, Sum at Google Books*](https://books.google.com/books?id=IRvIQkLFD60C&q=first+published). David R. Godine Publisher. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781567923353](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781567923353). Retrieved 27 July 2010. See book back cover. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** For reviews, see: - Alan Hausman ([Ohio State University](/source/Ohio_State_University)) [reviewed](https://www.jstor.org/pss/2215767) in [Noûs](/source/No%C3%BBs) Vol. 27, No. 2 (Jun., 1993), pp. 272-275. - [Brothers Judd review: Richard A. Watson. The Breakdown of Cartesian Metaphysics (1987)](http://brothersjudd.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/reviews.detail/book_id/1519/Breakdown%20of.htm) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** A reissue of the Humanities Press Edition of 1987. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** A section on Berkeley in R.A.Watson's book "The breakdown of Cartesian metaphysics" constitutes a revised and completed variant of this paper. ## Notes - Daues, Jessica (April 2, 2008). ["Campus Author: Richard A. Watson"](http://news.wustl.edu/news/Pages/11388.aspx). Washington University in St. Louis. ## External links - ["Richard Watson's Home Page"](http://www.richardwatsonbooks.com/). Retrieved 27 July 2010. - [Amazon's Complete Selection of Richard A. Watson's Books](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Richard-A.-Watson/e/B000AP7U7Q/ref=sr_tc_2_rm?qid=1330978005&sr=1-2-ent) - Watson, Richard (March 31, 2012). ["Autobiography"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110715183540/http://www.richardwatsonbooks.com/newsletter.htm). Archived from [the original](http://www.richardwatsonbooks.com/newsletter.htm) on 2011-07-15. Retrieved 2012-03-31. Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND FAST WorldCat National United States France BnF data Japan Spain Netherlands Norway Latvia Korea Sweden Poland Israel Academics CiNii People DDB Other IdRef SNAC --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Richard Watson (philosopher)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Watson_(philosopher)) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Watson_(philosopher)?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.