Spinoza’s work Principles of Cartesian Philosophy, published in 1663, is a mosaic of implicit and explicit citations from Cartesian texts. This allows us to compare Cartesian materials before and after their reelaboration by Spinoza. In this way, it is possible to answer one of the most difficult questions related to the work: is it a faithful or a unfaithful exposition of Cartesianism? In our view, the condition of the Principles is peculiar: it was a work that is, in fact, faithful to Spinozism because it is faithful to the system exposed. The key to understanding this apparent paradox is offered by Spinoza’s geometric method. The presentation of Cartesianism by Spinoza is nothing other than a true definition of Cartesianism, presenting the quid proprium of this system, that is, presenting it without any critique. This particular relationship between the exposed object and the exhibitor can be understood as resulting from a geometric fidelity that is an essential property of the Spinozist more geometrico.

Keywords

Spinoza, Geometric Method, Cartesianism, Order, System