The ontological-epistemic status of the Cartesian eternal truths

Abstract

This essay aims to revise the Cartesian thesis on the creation of eternal truths, a much controversial thesis defended by Descartes in some of his letters. I try to understand in what way this thesis determines the metaphysical and epistemic nature of eternal truths, and which problems arise out of this doctrine. Finally, I suggest an interpretation about the Cartesian doctrine whose conducting line is Saul Kripke’s posterior development on the notion of contingent a priori truths, and I further develop how it solves some problems in opposition with other interpretations, and I also consider possible objections and difficulties.