Realitas formalis/realitas obiectiva. The Paradox of Descartes’ representationism

Abstract

The paper discusses some aspects of the highly original theory of representation, developed by Descartes in his ‘Meditations’, and based on the ontological isomorphism of ideas and their material correlates. In the course of the analysis it is shown that the Cartesian theory involves unavoidable problems with discrimination or correlation of the objects in question, which is connected with the problem of constitutiveness of their modes of existence. Consequently, the conclusion of the paper is that representationism based on the isomorphistic theory of representation turns out to be self-contradictory.