Cartesianism in the Mirror of Arab Philosophy of the Mid-20th Century

Abstract

The article reviews interpretations of René Descartes’ philosophical legacy within the mid-20^th century Arab intellectual milieu. Primary attention is devoted to three key aspects of the Arab reception of Cartesianism. Firstly, the author demonstrates that interest in Descartes in the Arab world emerged during the period of national identity formation and the search for modernization paths. Descartes was perceived not merely as a “philosopher of science”, but also as a cultural symbol embodying the connection between rationalism, scientific progress, and spiritual development. Secondly, the author identifies several strategies for interpreting Cartesianism: some thinkers viewed it as an instrument for technical and economic development, others as a platform for synthesizing rationalism and religious tradition, and yet others as a threat to traditional values. Thirdly, the researcher analyzes how Arab philosophers (notably Kamāl Yūsuf al-Ḥāǧ, Tawfīq al-Ḥakīm, and ʻUṯmān Amīn) reconceptualized Descartes’s key concepts — ego cogito ergo sum, methodological doubt, and mind-body dualism — within the context of local religious, cultural, and ideological imperatives. Particular focus is given to analyzing how Cartesianism was employed to substantiate an “ideology of synthesis” — an attempt to reconcile Western scientific rationality with Islamic heritage. The author shows that Arab intellectuals frequently emphasized the non-rigidity and dualism in Descartes’s thought, interpreting them not as weaknesses but as strengths of his doctrine, enabling a circumvention of the extremes of materialism and atheism. Meanwhile, the historical-philosophical context of the genesis of Descartes’ ideas was often neglected, and his teaching was transformed into a tool for addressing contemporary ideological issues. The article separately touches upon the crisis of traditional religious ideology in the Arab world and the role of Cartesianism in this process. It is noted that despite attempts by conservative circles to criticize Descartes as a symbol of “bourgeois reason”, many intellectuals saw in his philosophy a means for reinterpreting the past and modernizing Islamic thought.