Relation between Will and Reason in Descartes’ Philosophy

Subject Areas : Philosophy

حسین گلچینی ¹ (ندارد)

Received: 2007-12-02 Accepted : 2008-03-12 Published : 2007-09-23

Keywords: Descartes, modern philosophy, reason, understanding, will, Freewill,

Abstract :

Relation between will and reason is a philosophico-theological topicwhich is longevous and vague, especially, when this relation is consideredas a kind of priority. The priority of will over reason in Descartes’ thoughthas both implicit and explicit aspects.In the question of knowledge – that is, having clear and distinct ideas –Desecrates judges that “understanding” has priority over “will”; this isconsiderd as epistemological priority; but he acknowledges that the “will”is formally greater than “reason” (i.e., will is finite but reason is infinite);this is considerd as ontic/ontological priority.In the beginning of modern philosophy, Desecrates applied methodicdoubt which is appearance of will, itself being an appearance ofmethodological priority. Accepting the priority of will over reason resultsin constructing a philosophical system or founding an intellectual school,which leads to some broad consequences in political, legal and moralsystems, as they have been originate from Descartes’ thought in thehistorical reality.