HomeLUMINAvol. 20 no. 1 (2009)

Cartesian Methodic Doubt Applied to the Da Vinci Code

Ian Rey G. Requina

Discipline: Literature, Philosophy, Social Science

 

Abstract:

Dan Brown, in his novel, “The Da Vinci Code,” attempts to reveal a secret document that reflects the roots of Christianity that shows that Jesus was simply human. The Da Vinci Code contains conscious agenda which attempt to either redefine or revise the history of early Christianity. It is a direct attack and a slap on the face of Christian believers into confusion. The portrayal of Jesus Christ in the piece is “based” on factual evidences cited by Dan Brown as seen on the fact page of his novel.

In the realm of philosophy, there is this modern mind that possesses the idea: the methodic doubt, a systematic process of being skeptical about the truth of one's beliefs, which has become a characteristic method in philosophy.6 This method of doubt was largely popularized in the field of philosophy by Rene Descartes who sought to doubt the truth of all of his beliefs in order to determine which of these beliefs he could establish with certainty. Descartes’ Methodic Doubt could hold the deciding argument on the case at hand. Applying Descartes’ method to the historical Jesus as claimed by Dan Brown in the Da Vinci Code, could somehow enlighten the researcher’s curiosity for valid knowledge, and for truth itself.