Abstract

DE TERESA, José Marcos. [The Fundamental Argument in Cartesian Metaphysics. Towards a Dialectical Interpretation]. Diánoia [online]. 2018, vol.63, n.81, pp.85-107. ISSN 0185-2450.  https://doi.org/10.22201/iifs.18704913e.2018.81.1573.

Abstract: This paper intends to sketch an initial reason for reading in a dialec-tical way the “proofs of God’s existence” in Descartes’ Meditations, III and V. I begin by indicating antecedents for this kind of interpretation among com-mentators, and show how this approach towards basic philosophical prob-lems can be traced to the Greek classics. I then try to explain how this ar-gumentative procedure can afford in principle a solution to the well-known riddle of the “Cartesian circle”, among other related issues. Finally, I discuss a small set of textual points and show that attributing a dialectical character to Descartes’ main metaphysical arguments should not be taken to be implausi-ble at all. I conclude that interpretations of this kind deserve a more careful exploration.

Keywords : rational justification; first principles; epistemic grounds; Cartesian circle; skepticism.

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