Nettoyer l’Esprit: a philosophical cleansing of the mind in Montaigne, Charron, and Descartes

Authors

Keywords:

Nettoyer l’esprit. Montaigne. Charron. Descartes. Modernity. Skepticism.

Abstract

The skeptical notion of nettoyer l'esprit, employed by Pierre Charron, and present, under different formulations, in the works of Montaigne and Descartes, is a central concept in modern thought. It plays a key role in discussions surrounding the pursuit of wisdom, the foundations of knowledge, the limits of reason, and the establishment of free and ethical human conduct. Beyond serving as a means of avoiding error, this idea functions as a method for purging the mind of dogmas and prejudices.

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Author Biography

Camila Lima de Oliveira, PUC-RIO

Doutora em Filosofia, com pesquisa concentrada na área de Crítica Cultural, pela Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio); Mestra em Filosofia Moderna e Licenciada em Filosofia, com especialização em Cultura Clássica Greco-Latina, pela mesma universidade. Realizou parte do Mestrado na Universidade de São Paulo (USP) e na Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), com fomento do CNPq, vinculada às instituições como aluna e pesquisadora visitante. Foi pesquisadora de Iniciação à Docência (2012-2013) pelo PIBID (Programa do Ministério da Educação, financiado pela CAPES, que investe na formação e no aperfeiçoamento de futuros docentes da Educação Básica brasileira). Tem experiência como professora, pesquisadora, tradutora e editora da área de Filosofia, com trabalhos em dois eixos principais: I. História da Filosofia (Filosofia Moderna, Século XVII, Pascal, Montaigne, Ceticismo e Relativismo Cultural) e II. Crítica Cultural (Crítica da Cultura no Brasil,  Pensamento afro-brasileiro, Carolina Maria de Jesus, Literatura, Arte e Cultura).

References

BLUCHE, F. Dictionnaire du Grand Siècle. Paris: Fayard, 2005.

CHARRON, P. De la Sagesse (trois livres). T. I e II, Paris: Rapilly, Passage des Panoramas, 1827.

CHARRON, P. Pequeno tratado de Sabedoria. Belo Horizonte: Editora UFMG, 2005.

DESCARTES, R. Œuvres de Descartes. Publiées par Charles Adam e Paul Tannery. T. VI e VII. Paris: L. Cerf/Vrin, 1902, 1957.

LA MOTHE LE VAYER, F. Diálogo sobre o tema da divindade. Belo Horizonte: Editora UFMG, 2014.

MONTAIGNE, M. Ensaios (livros I, II e III). São Paulo: Martins Fontes, 2000, 2001, 2002.

MONTAIGNE, M. Essais. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 2004.

NICOT, J. Thresor de la langue française, 1606.

POPKIN, R. H. Charron and Descartes: The Fruits of Systematic Doubt. The Journal of Philosophy, v. 51, n. 25, p. 831-837, 1954.

SODRÉ, M. Pensar nagô. Petrópolis: Vozes, 2017.

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Published

2025-11-06

How to Cite

Oliveira, C. L. de. (2025). Nettoyer l’Esprit: a philosophical cleansing of the mind in Montaigne, Charron, and Descartes. Argumentos - Revista De Filosofia, 17(2). Retrieved from https://www.periodicos.ufc.br/argumentos/article/view/95586

Issue

Vol. 17 No. 2 (2025)

Section

Artigos

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Copyright (c) 2025 CAMILA LIMA DE OLIVEIRA

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