BookRix

René Descartes (/ˈdeɪˌkɑrt/;[5] French: [ʁəne dekaʁt]; Latinized: Renatus Cartesius; adjectival form: "Cartesian";[6] 31 March 1596 – 11 February 1650) was a French philosopher, mathematician and writer who spent most of his life in the Dutch Republic.

He has been dubbed the father of modern philosophy, and much subsequent Western philosophy is a response to his writings,[7][8]which are studied closely to this day. In particular, his Meditations on First Philosophy continues to be a standard text at most university philosophy departments.