Método e metafísica: Descartes entre as Regras e as Meditações

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to discuss in general terms the relation between method and metaphysics in Descartes' philosophy. We intend to do it by opposing the Meditations on first philosophy to the Regulae ad directionem ingenii in respect of some themes in common. Our principal aim is to question the role of the intelectual evidence in the epistemological context of the Regulae and in the metaphysical context of the Meditations. At first we present some interpretations on this subject; after that we discuss the nature of doubt and the notion of evidence in the Meditations. As conclusion we suggest that a structural conflict between method and metaphysics takes place in the Cartesian system.

Keywords

• Method
• Metaphysics
• Evidence
• Doubt
• Idea
• Existence