Certamen Philosophicum

Summary

Certamen Philosophicum: Philosophical Combat for Divine and Natural Truth by Isaac Orobio de Castro, with an introduction by Seymour Feldman, a foreword by Jean-Pierre Rothschild, and a prologue and translation by Walter Hilliger. Narration is provided by Dan Hilliger, A.A.C., and it is published by Le Cercle Hilliger.

This work delves into the correspondence between Isaac Orobio de Castro and Jan Bredenburg, highlighting the superiority of classical philosophy over the flawed reasoning influenced by Spinoza's ideas. Through meticulous logical analysis, Orobio exposes the inherent contradictions in modern philosophical materialism. He argues that Spinoza and his contemporaries disguise a new pantheistic atheism that replaces God with "Nature," relying on sophisms that ignore the common foundations of logic, grammar, metaphysics, and ontology.

Orobio rejects the fragmentation of truth between science and religion, defending the convergence of scientific and religious thought through simultaneous and logical truths. This allows for a rational understanding of the existence of a necessary being, creation from infinite possibilities, and the limitations of finite agents.

"Certamen Philosophicum" is an essential reference for those exploring the interaction between reason, faith, and existence. It is a crucial read for philosophers, theologians, and anyone interested in the classical foundations of faith in relation to reason. This translation aims to make Orobio's work accessible to contemporary readers and illuminate the connections between his classical context and modern existential questions.

Isaac Orobio de Castro (1617-1687) is recognized as a prominent anti-modernist in 17th-century philosophy.