Skepticism between Al-Ghazali and Descartes: A Comparative Analytical Study

Abstract

This comparative analytical study examines the concept of doubt as a methodological approach in the philosophies of Al-Ghazali and Rene Descartes. The research clarifies that doubt for both philosophers is a constructive stage aimed at reaching intellectual and scientific truths, fundamentally differing from destructive skepticism. By employing historical and descriptive-analytical methods, the study explores the origins of doubt and the cognitive issues that triggered it in their respective eras. The analysis details their systematic skepticism toward sensory perceptions, rational axioms, and conscious life experiences. The findings highlight significant parallels in their pursuit of certain knowledge and liberation from inherited prejudices. Notably, the study concludes that Al-Ghazali’s methodological doubt preceded Descartes by six centuries, suggesting a potential influence of Islamic thought on modern Western philosophy, evidenced by the presence of Al-Ghazali's works in Descartes' library.