Rene Descartes was a French philosopher born in 1596 who is known for developing Cartesianism and using rationalism and methodological doubt. He took a mathematical approach to understanding knowledge and believed the mind was separate from the body. Descartes developed his philosophies like methodological doubt and the distinction between mind and body in works such as Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy. He died in 1650 from pneumonia exacerbated by overworking while sick.

1. Rene Descartes Philosopher and Author By Charles Smith Philosopher and Author

2. Background Born March 31, 1596. Took a brief stint in the military after getting formal schooling at La Fleche & Poitiers. Designed a plan to apply mathematical methods into unifying human knowledge. Influences were Plato, Aquinas, Aristotle, Ockham, Suarez, and many more. Died on February 11, 1650.

3. Descartes Philosophies Method Doubt and Existence Cartesianism

4. Method Wrote about Method in his first rationalist version of Discourse on Method. In this he stated that it is the wrong method to get traditional education and he also wrote about the deficiencies of traditional education.

5. DOUBT AND EXISTENCE He wrote about Doubt and Existence in Meditation on First Philosophy. He argued that someone who doesn’t believe because of what they heard can overcome this by thinking on their own. Descartes offered to prove that God does exist, but he has to prove that no one will believe when they first hear something. He states that people would like facts and actual events to occur where it will make them believe.

6. Cartesianism The overall philosophy of Cartesianism is that the mind is separate from the body and that the body can be better understood. It follows also the fact that just because something gives you pleasure it doesn’t make it beautiful.

7. Descartes Death The reason to be said for Descartes death is Pneumonia. He was accustomed to working in bed to noon, but due to his bosses early morning study, he had a dramatic fall due to a lack of sleep while sick.