The relation between the divine substance and the subjectivity in Descartes

Author(s)

Adriano Albuquerque Gomes

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (FFLCH/SBD)
• Defense date: 2008-02-22

Examining board members

Franklin Leopoldo e Silva; Enéias Junior Forlim; Homero Silveira Santiago

• Advisor: Franklin Leopoldo e Silva

Abstract

The main goal of this work is to investigate the relation between the divine substance and the subjectivity in Descartes. Such investigation made it possible for us to conclude that God is the primary principle, in the ontological order as well as in the epistemological order, i.e. He has what we call precedence in all nuances of the cartesian system. Such conclusion was only possible due to two investigations, namely: one around the process of doubt, using though only one part of this process to do so, which, in our understanding, communicates with several of Descartes\' writings, in order to show the precedence of the divine substance in plain process of doubt. The second one was about the relation of the uncreated substance and the created substance, which aim was also to enhance the precedence of the uncreated substance. Therefore by the end of our work we could understand that God has the priority not only in the ontological order but also in the epistemological order. (AU)