O valor da Conversação com Burman para uma leitura da obra de Descartes

Abstract

Conversation with Burman is the name given to the text entitled Responsiones Renati des Cartes ad quasdam difficultates ex Meditationibus, ejus etc., the transcription of an “interview” between the young Burman and René Descartes, in which the philosopher is asked several questions about his ideas. The objective of this dissertation is, in the first chapter, to analyze the structural aspects of the work. This analysis is justified by the presence of a series of problems related to the validity of the text, since it was not written or revised by Descartes. Furthermore, it is not a commentary on the philosopher but rather the presentation of an “interview” with him. After making the necessary considerations regarding the work, in the second chapter, I present a reading of what Burman can convey to us about Descartes, that is, the questions and his approach to Cartesian philosophy. In addition, I analyze some concepts that Descartes clarifies in Burman's text. In the third and final chapter, I discuss the thesis of the free creation of eternal truths, since this thesis is better elaborated in this text and in the letters than in the works published by Descartes