The Search After Truth

The Search After Truth (De la recherche de la vérité) is the principal work of Nicolas Malebranche, a French philosopher and theologian of Cartesianism. Published in three volumes between 1674 and 1675, this work is considered the best introduction to Malebranche's philosophical system.1

Central to Malebranche's philosophy is the doctrine that "we see all things in God". He argued that human knowledge of both the internal and external world is not possible without a connection between humanity and God. This perspective, known as Occasionalism, posits that God directly causes all effects, with external events merely serving as "occasions" for divine action.12

Malebranche also addressed the nature of sensory experience, suggesting it has a pragmatic value for survival rather than being a reliable source of knowledge about the true nature of things. He believed that all ideas are eternally contained within God's mind, and humans access these ideas through divine illumination.12