Cartesian Metaphysics: The Scholastic Origins of Modern PhilosophyThis is the first book-length study of Descartes's metaphysics to place it in its immediate historical context, the Late Scholastic philosophy of thinkers such as Suárez against which Descartes reacted. Jorge Secada views Cartesian philosophy as an 'essentialist' reply to the 'existentialism' of the School, and his discussion includes careful analyses and original interpretations of such central Cartesian themes as the role of scepticism, intentionality and the doctrine of the material falsity of ideas, universals and the relation between sense and understanding, causation and the proofs of the existence of God, the theory of substance, and the dualism of mind and matter. His study offers a picture of Descartes's metaphysics that is both novel and philosophically illuminating. |
From inside the book
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Page 2
... causes. Both conceived this science as articulated around the fundamental and traditional division between God and creatures. Consequently, they held in common substantial beliefs about causation and the dependence of effects ...
... causes. Both conceived this science as articulated around the fundamental and traditional division between God and creatures. Consequently, they held in common substantial beliefs about causation and the dependence of effects ...
Page 12
... causes (see TPA, II, 1 and 2; II, pp. 411b and 415a). There is however a third manner, equally germane to our topic, in which Scholastic knowledge of a substantial essence involves sensory perception of a substance with that nature. The ...
... causes (see TPA, II, 1 and 2; II, pp. 411b and 415a). There is however a third manner, equally germane to our topic, in which Scholastic knowledge of a substantial essence involves sensory perception of a substance with that nature. The ...
Page 15
... causes (TPA, II, 2; II, p. 415a). For example, if food is something required for the sustenance of life, then from the existence of living animals we can demonstrate that there is food. The middle term need not refer to actual effects, ...
... causes (TPA, II, 2; II, p. 415a). For example, if food is something required for the sustenance of life, then from the existence of living animals we can demonstrate that there is food. The middle term need not refer to actual effects, ...
Page 17
... cause of a clear and distinct belief concerning the body. He maintains that this belief is true, and that it amounts ... causes, with the determination of the intellect. This is enough to make sensation necessary for human knowledge of ...
... cause of a clear and distinct belief concerning the body. He maintains that this belief is true, and that it amounts ... causes, with the determination of the intellect. This is enough to make sensation necessary for human knowledge of ...
Page 21
... cause of an idea must account for the object or content of the idea (AT, VII, 40–2). The argument invokes the ... causes, to the existence of God (AT, VII, 47–51). Descartes's departures from Aquinas are significant, though not without ...
... cause of an idea must account for the object or content of the idea (AT, VII, 40–2). The argument invokes the ... causes, to the existence of God (AT, VII, 47–51). Descartes's departures from Aquinas are significant, though not without ...
Contents
1 | |
5 | |
Part II Ideas and the road from essence to existence | 75 |
Part III Cartesian substances | 181 |
Epilogue | 265 |
Notes | 270 |
References | 307 |
Index | 323 |
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Cartesian Metaphysics: The Scholastic Origins of Modern Philosophy Jorge Secada Limited preview - 2000 |
Common terms and phrases
According to Descartes actual apprehension Aquinas argued Aristotelian Aristotle Arnauld attribute awareness body Cartesian causal chapter claim clear and distinct clearly and distinctly colour conceived conception corporeal substance creatures dependence Descartes's determinable direct realist distinguished divine doctrine Duns Scotus effect efficient cause entity essence and existence essential definitions essentialist exist in reality existentialism existentialist explained extension external fact follows Fonseca formally Gassendi God’s grasp Hobbes human idea imagination immediate objects independent individual infinite infinite regress innate intellect intelligible Jesuit judgement knowledge Late Scholastic Leibniz matter metaphysics mind modes nature Nominalists notion objective reality ontological argument perceive philosophy possible Posterior Analytics predicate principle prior proof question real distinction real essences real properties refer relation Replies sceptical Scholasticism Second Meditation sensation sense sensory perception shape soul species St Thomas Suárez substantial suppose Third Meditation Thomist thought triangle true truth understanding unity universal