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 1
... definition; 'essentialism', on the other hand, names the view that knowledge of the essence of a substance is prior to knowledge of its existence. The articulation of these opposing doctrines as they appear in Descartes 1 Prologue.
... definition; 'essentialism', on the other hand, names the view that knowledge of the essence of a substance is prior to knowledge of its existence. The articulation of these opposing doctrines as they appear in Descartes 1 Prologue.
Page 8
... definition of a substance without knowing whether it exists and , conversely , whether one can know whether a substance exists without knowing its nature . Descartes , Aquinas , and the Late Scholastics shared an ontology of sub ...
... definition of a substance without knowing whether it exists and , conversely , whether one can know whether a substance exists without knowing its nature . Descartes , Aquinas , and the Late Scholastics shared an ontology of sub ...
Page 10
... definition : this is either an account which explains the meaning of a name , or an account of the very thing named which , however , is distinct from the definition because it does not express the nature as does a definition , but ...
... definition : this is either an account which explains the meaning of a name , or an account of the very thing named which , however , is distinct from the definition because it does not express the nature as does a definition , but ...
Page 12
... defined classes; nor is the essence of a natural kind, what binds together the members of the species as such ... defining a kind. She then seeks to know the essence of the species to which this thing belongs. One does not seek the ...
... defined classes; nor is the essence of a natural kind, what binds together the members of the species as such ... defining a kind. She then seeks to know the essence of the species to which this thing belongs. One does not seek the ...
Page 13
... defining the species, but in helping pick out typical members. A description such as 'something small, yellow ... defined species together with a syllogistic articulation of the connection between the definitions and the attribution of ...
... defining the species, but in helping pick out typical members. A description such as 'something small, yellow ... defined species together with a syllogistic articulation of the connection between the definitions and the attribution of ...
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