The Cartesian Circle and Significance of the Concept of God in Descartes’s Epistemology

Cumhuriyet İlahiyat Dergisi 26 (3):1215-1233 (2022)
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Abstract

Descartes’ Meditations raised a serious question about whether he committed a logical fallacy while proving God’s existence and veracity. The crux of the allegation is him saying the truth of the clear and distinct perceptions depend on God’s veracity while its validity rests on some clear and distinct perceptions such as Cogito. At first glance Meditations justify this charge if not been attentively read. Disposal of the Cartesian circle claim depends on showing at least some clear and distinct perceptions are spared from evil demon hypothesis. In this article I will argue that Cogito argument, truth rule and principles of reason specifically causality don’t need divine guarantee to grant their truth. Hence, I will defend that his arguments on proving God’s existence and veracity are circularity-proof. But still metaphysic foundations of Descartes’ epistemology rely substantially on God because without his veracity we are doomed to accept a fatal solipsism and never attain a solid ground for science, especially for physics.

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References found in this work

Descartes, the cartesian circle, and epistemology without God.Michael Della Rocca - 2005 - Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 70 (1):1–33.
The Cartesian Circle.Willis Doney - 1955 - Journal of the History of Ideas 16 (1/4):324.
The cartesian circle.Alan Gewirtz - 1941 - Philosophical Review 50 (4):368-395.
The Cartesian Circle.Gary Hatfield - 2006 - In Stephen Gaukroger (ed.), The Blackwell Guide to Descartes' Meditations. Oxford, UK: Blackwell. pp. 122–141.
The cartesian circle reconsidered.Alan Gewirth - 1970 - Journal of Philosophy 67 (19):668-685.

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