René Descartes
55 books
About the Author
René Descartes (1596-1650), the French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist often hailed as the father of modern philosophy, profoundly shaped Western thought through his innovative methods of doubt and rational inquiry. Born in La Haye, he pursued studies in law and mathematics before embarking on a life of travel and intellectual pursuit, serving as a soldier and later settling in the Netherlands to escape religious persecution. Descartes' seminal works, including A Discourse on the Method (Oxford World's Classics), Meditations on First Philosophy (Hackett Classics), Principles of Philosophy, Rules for the Direction of the Mind, and The Philosophical Writings of Descartes: Volume 1, explore foundational questions of knowledge, existence, and the mind-body dualism, famously encapsulated in his declaration 'Cogito, ergo sum' (I think, therefore I am). His rigorous, analytical approach revolutionized philosophy, influencing fields from epistemology to metaphysics, and his legacy endures in contemporary debates on science and reason.
Common genres
Writing style
analytical
methodical
rational
