René Descartes


 
 

René Descartes (), (31 March 1596 ? 11 February 1650), also known as Renatus Cartesius (Latinized form), was a French philosopher, mathematician, physicist, and writer who spent most of his adult life in the Dutch Republic. He has been dubbed the "Father of Modern Philosophy", and much of subsequent Western philosophy is a response to his writings, which continue to be studied closely to this day. In particular, his Meditations on First Philosophy continues to be a standard text at most university philosophy departments. Descartes' influence in mathematics is also apparent; the Cartesian coordinate system—allowing geometric shapes to be expressed in algebraic equations—was named after him. He is credited as the father of analytical geometry. Descartes was also one of the key figures in the Scientific Revolution.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Descartes frequently sets his views apart from those of his predecessors. In the opening section of the Passions of the Soul, a treatise on the Early Modern version of what are now commonly called emotions, Descartes goes so far as to assert that he will write on this topic "as if no one had written on these matters before". Many elements of his philosophy have precedents in late Aristotelianism, the revived Stoicism of the 16th century, or in earlier philosophers like St. Augustine. In his natural philosophy, he differs from the Schools on two major points: First, he rejects the analysis of corporeal substance into matter and form; second, he rejects any appeal to ends—divine or natural—in explaining natural phenomena. In his theology, he insists on the absolute freedom of God's act of creation.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Descartes was a major figure in 17th-century continental rationalism, later advocated by Baruch Spinoza and Gottfried Leibniz, and opposed by the empiricist school of thought consisting of Hobbes, Locke, Berkeley, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Hume. Leibniz, Spinoza and Descartes were all well versed in mathematics as well as philosophy, and Descartes and Leibniz contributed greatly to science as well. As the inventor of the Cartesian coordinate system, Descartes founded analytic geometry, the bridge between algebra and geometry, crucial to the discovery of infinitesimal calculus and analysis. He is best known for the philosophical statement "Cogito ergo sum" (; ), found in part IV of Discourse on the Method (1637 - written in French but with inclusion of "Cogito ergo sum") and §7 of part I of Principles of Philosophy (1644 - written in Latin).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


 

Latinized: REDIRECT Latinisation...

French philosopher: REDIRECT French philosophy...

Mathematician: A mathematician is a person whose area of study and research is mathematics....


René Descartes related Images and Photos (experimental)

La Naptune Francois  Ou Atlas Des Cartes Marines  1693
La Naptune Francois Ou Atlas Des Cartes Marines 1693
René Cresté and Yvette Andréyor: Judex  1916
René Cresté and Yvette Andréyor: Judex 1916
Albert Préjean and Renée Saint-Cyr: Toto  1933
Albert Préjean and Renée Saint-Cyr: Toto 1933
René-Louis Lafforgue and Ludmilla Tchérina: Les Amants de Teruel  1962
René-Louis Lafforgue and Ludmilla Tchérina: Les Amants de Teruel 1962

~ Table of Content ~

Introduction
Biography
Philosophical work
Dualism
Mathematical legacy
Contemporary reception
Religious beliefs
Writings
See also
Notes
References
External links
 
FR: René Descartes


 

~ Related Subjects ~

Cartesian coordinate system (2) - Empiricist (1) - Hobbes (1) - Locke (1) - Gottfried Leibniz (1) - 17th-century (1) - Theology (1) - Baruch Spinoza (1) - Rationalism (1) - Berkeley (1) - Cogito ergo sum (1) - Analysis (1) - Principles of Philosophy (1) - Discourse on the Method (1) - Hume (1) -
 

~ Community ~

History Forum
Come and discuss about History, Civilizations, Historical Events and Figures
History Web-Ring
A community of sites, blogs and forums dedicated to History. Do not hesitate to submit your site.