Understanding the Origin of Human Autonomy in Descartes' ‎Philosophy Through the Foundations of Christianity and Thomistic Theology

Document Type : The Quarterly Jornal

Author

Assistant professor, Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Humanities and Social Science, ‎University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran. ‎

Abstract

The central focus of this article is to explore how human autonomy and freedom are shaped using the principles and approaches of Christianity during the early modern period in Europe. The research adopts a historical and foundational methodology. Christianity, as interpreted in a particular way within modern philosophy, emerges as a religion of individuality, freedom, and the liberation of humans from external authority. Descartes' philosophy, in a sense, shares this central theme of freedom with Christianity. He is among the first figures in Western intellectual history to take significant steps toward liberating humanity from external authority. Descartes’ epistemological theory paves the way for greater human freedom and independence by positioning reason as autonomous and self-legislating, reliant solely on its own principles and acknowledging no authority higher than itself. With this approach, Christianity plays a crucial role in shaping Descartes' way of thinking. However, for Christianity to serve as the foundation for all modern transformations, it needed a theologian like Thomas Aquinas, who could bridge the sacred Christian principles with the secular outlook of the modern world. This article examines the relationship between Christianity, the philosophical revolution of Thomas Aquinas, and Descartes' philosophy of freedom.

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References

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