Did Descartes argue in a circle? Anonymous College

Arnauld, within his objections to 'Meditations on First Philosophy', highlights what would come to be considered one of the most fundamental flaws in Cartesian reasoning; namely the evident circularity of reasoning from 'Clear and Distinct perception' to the existence of God, and vice versa. The problem has come to be christened 'The Cartesian Circle' and has lead to an abundance of philosophical discourse, both critical and defensive, on the subject. In this essay, I will seek to sustain the line of argument that Descartes is initially guilty of the charge of circularity levelled against him which he fails to escape within his reply. Though many have since proposed methods of overcoming the circularity issue which in themselves might seem cogent, ultimately they can only be achieved by the alteration of Descartes' original argument or a forced interpretation of the text thus failing to demonstrate that Descartes did not, in fact, argue in a circle.

Before engaging in an analysis of the circularity problem it is perhaps worth briefly summarizing the steps which Descartes' takes to arrive at his conclusion. The meditator having begun his contemplation doubting all that he knows and perceives, he eventually recognises the...