Is a philosophical science of metaphysics, such as Descartes, still Essay

Is a philosophical science of metaphysics, such as Descartes, still possible after Humes Enquiry concerning Human Understanding - Essay Example There are certain things which can be studied through physical sciences but things which are only based upon human understanding and rationality are discussed and studied under the branch of philosophical science called metaphysics. Rene Descartes is one of the renowned scholars of modern philosophy. He is specifically known for his book ‘Meditation on First Philosophy’ in which he presented his in-depth views about metaphysics. The three most important aspects discussed in his philosophical debate are the mind, body and the existence of God (Descartes). The concepts of metaphysics presented by Descartes were widely acknowledged for a long time period because the book raises questions regarding God and the soul while seeking logical answers and truth on the basis of reasoning (Descartes). However, in 1748 another philosopher named David Hume published his book ‘An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding’ which proved to be a remarkable addition in the field of philosophy (Hume). This is primarily because of the fact that Hume’s work challenged Descartes. However, until today Hume’s work could not reduce the worth of Descartes’ philosophies. This paper aims to argue that the philosophical science of metaphysics such as the one presented by Descartes is still possible after Hume’s Enquiry concerning Human Understanding. Here, it is important to comprehend that ever since the time period of Descartes the field of philosophy is distinguished on the basis of rationalist and empiricist. On one hand rationalists are more concerned about metaphysics and questions related to God, nature of substance, matter, soul etc. (Descartes). They primarily try to answer these questions through reasoning but on the other side empiricists have been more interested in epistemology. This is further associated with the idea of experiencing different things and gaining substantial knowledge regarding the world. It