The Ignatian Roots of Descartes. A Summary of Current Discussion

Abstract

From the seventies onwards some researchers have maintained that the spiritual training
Descartes received in La Flèche must have had some influence on him. This article surveys the papers
produced by two research lines. The first one searches the texts for a direct relation between the Spiritual Exercises and the Cartesian opus; the second thinks that the influence has to look for in the meditational practice as a method. In 1990 B. Rubidge claimed to have settled the question, concluding that there was no evidence of influence. But later works have found that the meditational training left a trace even in cartesian geometry. This article finishes with some suggestions for further research.