Critical Analysis of Epistemological Principles of Cartesian Humanism Based on Allameh Mohammad-Taqi Jafari's Thoughts

Humanism, as the foremost outcome of modernism, owes its entity to Descarte's epistemological principles and methods to a large extent. The main feature of Cartesian Epistemology is to acknowledge the instrumental rationality. As Descartes opines, cognition of truth is possible through reason, without employing any of the five senses. On this basis, he recognizes himself as an entity whose existence is absolutely and undoubtedly certain. Though not being a humanist by its contemporary definition, Descarte's epistemological outcome portrays human being as the nucleus of universe, placing non-human entities beneath him. Allameh Mohammad-Taqi Jafari, the contemporary philosopher, has put forth different epistemological principles to criticize humanism. He validates the necessity of cognition in alignment with rational living system, believing that natural senses, pure reason, mystic intuition, and revelation are the means to knowledge. Aiming to conduct a critical analysis of Cartesian humanism, the current paper first sheds light on the principles of Cartesian epistemology, and then explains Allameh Jafari's opinion on each principle, thereby delineating the agreements and disagreements between the two scholars regarding each of the principles.