Descartes, the Pioneer of the Enlightenment

Abstract

The article addresses the fundamental elements of Descartes’ embeddedness in the mediaeval and ancient tradition. The more elaborate explication of the common elements, shared by Descartes and his predecessors, enables us to reveal more clearly the rupture point in Descartes’ thought, and shows clearly in the direction of his undisputed legacy for the later times, including French Materialism. Special attention is paid to M. Heidegger’s claim, based on his specific understanding of the history of philosophy, that Descartes represents the paradigmatic shift in the self-understanding of man, which crucially marks the latter development of philosophy, both idealistic and materialistic. Yet another author worthy of explicating in this context is M. A. Gillespie, who clearly adopts Heidegger’s view and further corroborates Descartes’ ontological shift to be read from his markedly different theology.