René Descartes

Biography

René Descartes (1596–1650) was a French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist who is widely regarded as the father of modern Western philosophy and a foundational figure in the development of modern mathematics. Born in La Haye en Touraine, France, Descartes was educated at the Jesuit Collège Royal Henry-Le-Grand before studying law at Poitiers. He then spent years traveling Europe as a gentleman soldier and observer before settling in the Dutch Republic, where he lived for most of his productive career. His Meditations on First Philosophy (1641) established the method of systematic doubt and the famous conclusion "Cogito, ergo sum" (I think, therefore I am) as the foundation of knowledge. In mathematics, he invented the Cartesian coordinate system, bridging algebra and geometry and making modern analytical geometry possible. His Discourse on the Method (1637) proposed a systematic approach to philosophical inquiry that profoundly influenced the scientific method. Other major works include Principles of Philosophy (1644) and The Passions of the Soul (1649). His dualistic philosophy—separating mind and body into distinct substances—has shaped Western thought for four centuries, even as it continues to be debated.