Scholasticism

Summary

One of Descartes’ central aims is to substitute his own views for those of the Scholastics. At the same time, Descartes also owes significant debts to the Scholastics, who were a powerful force during his time and whose teachings were fundamental to his Jesuit education at La Flèche. So relating his thought to Scholasticism is important for understanding his targets as well as for interpreting the ideas he inherited from his predecessors.

Central to Scholasticism were the teachings of Aristotle, whom Descartes singles out as a target of his Meditations: “These six Meditations contain all the foundations of my physics. But please do not tell people, for that might make it harder for supporters of Aristotle to approve them. I hope that readers will gradually get used to my principles, and recognize their truth, before they notice that they destroy the principles of Aristotle” (AT III 298, CSMK 173). He criticizes those who rely on Aristotle rather than reason (AT III 432, 796; CSMK 195, 215) and repeatedly expresses frustration with the strong influence of Aristotle (AT I 522, CSMK 79; AT III 349, CSMK 177). He describes the views of the Scholastics as mostly doubtful as well as useless for the purposes of explanation (AT VIIIB 26, CSMK 221). In 1640 he conceives of a plan to publish a work that would include Eustachius a Sancto Paulo's Summa philosophica quadripartita, with his own views juxtaposed (AT III 523, CSMK 209–10), a plan he never carries out.

At the same time, Descartes sometimes notes agreements with Aristotle (AT IV 141, 157; CSMK 238, 240). Given his criticisms of Aristotle elsewhere, his doing so is likely motivated by prudence. He expresses a sense of intellectual indebtedness to the Jesuits and recommends a Jesuit education in philosophy, in particular, La Flèche (AT II 378). But he also indicates that he felt it was in his interest to be on good terms with the Jesuits (AT IV 157, CSMK 240). His strategy is often to offer his own views while remaining silent about Scholastic views in the hope that his own views will be accepted instead of those of the Scholastics, as we saw him indicate in regard to Aristotle. For instance, while in letters he is often very critical of the notions of real quality and substantial form, he avoids discussing them in his published works.