 Central to the above account avoiding Della Rocca’s circle is (among other claims) the thesis that clear and distinct perceptions are assent-compelling – i.e., as Descartes writes, that “the nature of my mind is such that I cannot but assent to these things, at least so long as I clearly perceive them.” It it thus worth noting that Della Rocca wavers on whether Descartes holds this thesis: he interprets a remark in Descartes’ correspondence (9 Feb 1645, AT 4:173, CSMK 245) to suggest “that we can withhold assent from even a current clear and distinct perception” (2006, 155).