Notes for a Cartesian Grammar: On the Linguistic Function of Intellectual Memory and the Possibility of a Historical and Methodical Grammar

Abstract

In the context of the 17th century, the study of grammar represented more than just a set of rules for the correct use of language: it also aimed to provide the necessary tools to argue and reason adequately. The Cartesian program can thus be inscribed in this tradition that seeks the linguistic inconsistencies that distance us from the truth, to then establish precise rules that guide rational discourse. To establish this “Cartesian grammar”, we must first determine the nature of the linguistic problem, based on the analysis of “intellectual memory”. Then, we must identify the prejudices and biases that originate in language and prevent access to the truth. Finally, we will determine the rules or precepts that allow for the elaboration of an appropriate and true “rational discourse”.