Descartes' metaphysical skepticism

Abstract

Descartes held the theological doctrine of voluntarism (that logic and value depend on God's power). We argue that when Descartes' demon steps into God's shoes in the First Meditation, that spirit inherits this same power and thus is absolutely invincible. A 'voluntarist demon' gives rise to 'metaphysical scepticism', since he could refrain from validating logic, thus making philosophy itself impossible and dooming the arguments of the Meditations from the outset. We consider various strategies - philosophical and historical - for avoiding this problem, concluding that it is in any case fortunate that Descartes inadvertently discovered this line of reasoning. For it seems to be a formulation of the best possible sceptical argument. In the end, ironically, it seems to support a more pragmatic attitude found in some passages in Descartes' Replies.