The Life of Rene Descartes
French Mathematician, Scientist, and Philosopher
Rene Descartes (1596-1650) is known for his Discourse on Method (1637) as well as numerous other philosophical, mathematical, and scientific meditations.
Early Life
Rene Descartes was born in La Hayne, France which is now known as Descartes, on March 31, 1596. In 1606 he was sent to the Jesuit college at La Fléche and in 1614 he went to Poittiers where he obtained a law degree in 1616. For the next twelve years he traveled across Europe hoping to learn more about the world. He eventually moved to the Netherlands where he felt he could enjoy greater liberty and face fewer distractions.
The World
Descartes was ready to publish The World in 1633 but held back because his views were similar to those of Galileo who had just been condemned for publishing works suggesting that the Earth was not in fact the center of the Universe. The World was eventually published in 1664 after the death of Descartes.
The Discourse on Method
René Descartes published The Discourse on Method in 1637. This work brought about many modern ideas in physics and mathematics. In Method Descartes derived the law of refraction, explained the rainbow, and created analytic geometry. Analytic geometry essentially uses geometry to explain algebra and algebra to explain geometry. Mathematicians can also thank Descartes for perfecting the modern system of algebraic notation.
Meditations
Descartes published Meditations on First Philosophy, in Which is Proved the Existence of God and the Immortality of the Soul, as it is formally titled, in 1641. In Meditations Descartes determines that he exists and attempts to prove the existence of God. Here is a summary of his arguments:
- He assumes nothing is certain and searches for something he cannot refute.
- He realizes he must exists, “I think therefore I am.”
- He poses that all innate ideas are true.
- His idea of God is an innate idea so he believes God must exist.
- God must be perfect because if he wasn’t then he would not exist.
- Since God is perfect he does not deceive thus we may trust our surroundings.
Critics say that Descartes suffers from circular logic in this argument and it is sometimes referred to as the “Cartesian Circle.”
Principles of Philosophy
Published in 1644, Principles of Philosophy is Descartes’ combination of physics and metaphysics. Here Descartes proposes that a human is a union of a mind and a body.
Ideas on Morality
Descartes believed that salvation was earned through moral actions on Earth. He believed that people who do not believe in God or immortality have no reason to be moral and thus will not display morality.
Final Years
During his late years Descartes lived in Sweden. It was here that he developed pneumonia when he made a delivery to the queen early one morning. The pneumonia led to his death in Stockholm on February 11, 1650.
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Resource:
Encyclopedia Britannica Online
