A Brief History and Interview of René

René Descartes, philosopher, mathematician, and scientist. His philosophy is called Cartesianism (from Cartesius, Latin form of his name). Often called the father of modern philosophy, he is regarded as the bridge between scholasticism and all philosophy that followed him. Primarily interested in mathematics, he founded Analytic Geometry and originated the Cartesian Coordinates and Cartesian curves. To algebra he contributed the treatment of negative roots and the convention of exponent notation. Descartes also contributed to optics, physiology, and psychology.

René Descartes was born in La Haye, Touraine, March 31, 1596. “His father was a counselor of the Parliament of Britainy. Descartes was also the grandson and great grandson of physicians, on his mother's side” (Westfall, 1995).

In 1606 at the age of eight, Descartes entered the Jesuit College of La Fleche in Anjou, one of the most famous schools of the time.“He studied there until 1612, studying classics, logic and traditional Aristotelian philosophy. He also learnt mathematics from the books of

Clavius” (O'Connor & Robertson, 1997). “Descartes clearly benefited to a great extent from this Jesuit education,although Descartes was dedicated in stressing the separation of reason and faith. This meant that he could be skeptical concerning the philosophical and theological positions taken by the Church, while maintaining his Catholic faith” (Burnham & Fieser, 2001). “René also discovered how little he knew, the only subject which was satisfactory in his eyes was mathematics. This idea became the foundation for his way of thinking, and was to form the basis for all his works” (O'Connor & Robertson, 1997).

Descartes spent four years writing “Le Monde, which embodies an attempt to give a physical theory of the universe” (Ball, 1995), “it was near completion when news that Galileo was condemned to house arrest reached him. He decided not to risk publication and the work was published, only in part, after his death” (O'Connor & Robertson, 1997). Later Descartes devoted himself to composing a dissertation on universal science titled “Discours de la méthode pour bien conduire sa raison et chercher la vérité dans les sciences” (O'Connor & Robertson, 1997), published in 1637. There where three appendices to this work: “La Dioptrique, Les Météores, and La Géométrie” (Ball, 1995). Then in 1641 he published a work called Meditationes, in which he described his views on philosophy. “In 1644 he issued the Principia Philosophiae” (O'Connor & Robertson, 1997), which was devoted mainly to physical science.

6. Therefore, the perfect thing exists.

7. By definition, the perfect thing is God.

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