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
... suppose a common background. Unlike later empiricists, Descartes and the Scholastic existentialists whom he opposed shared the ideal of a true science of being and its causes. Both conceived this science as articulated around the ...
... suppose a common background. Unlike later empiricists, Descartes and the Scholastic existentialists whom he opposed shared the ideal of a true science of being and its causes. Both conceived this science as articulated around the ...
Page 3
... suppose rational discontinuities in the development of the subject. Perhaps it is simplistic and even absurd to speak of the same great questions occupying the minds of philosophers throughout the millennia. But does it not make sense ...
... suppose rational discontinuities in the development of the subject. Perhaps it is simplistic and even absurd to speak of the same great questions occupying the minds of philosophers throughout the millennia. But does it not make sense ...
Page 4
... suppose this is so even given exposure, on the part of the past thinker, to however long a conversation and to whatever experiences and educational processes? And if so, why? But we must let go. Unfortunately, although these are ...
... suppose this is so even given exposure, on the part of the past thinker, to however long a conversation and to whatever experiences and educational processes? And if so, why? But we must let go. Unfortunately, although these are ...
Page 21
... Suppose we know that an F exists, where 'F' is some description which happens to apply to God but which could be true also of finite and mutable things. We do not know God exists unless we know that an infinite and supremely perfect ...
... Suppose we know that an F exists, where 'F' is some description which happens to apply to God but which could be true also of finite and mutable things. We do not know God exists unless we know that an infinite and supremely perfect ...
Page 35
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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