Introduction
Amongst the galaxy of French thinkers, philosophers, and writers, Rene Descartes stands as one of the tallest luminaries. Descartes was also called the ‘Father of Modern Western Philosophy’ whose writings have had a profound effect on the formation of modern nation-states. This essay covers a brief perspective of Descartes, his life, contributions, and effects on modern society.
Main body
Rene Descartes was born on 31 March 1596 in the town of Le Haye en Tourane, France. Deferring to his father’s wishes Descartes earned a law degree to become a practicing lawyer. However, as any numerologist would predict, born on the 31st of the month, a number 4, destined Descartes to search for the esoteric and the ‘opposing’ point of view. His analytical thinking and interests in wide-ranging fields of science, mathematics, and philosophy soon had the fertile young thinker producing many works that have had far-reaching effects to date.
In philosophy, Descartes formulated the concept of methodical skepticism. The famous maxim Cogito Ergo Sum, or ‘I think therefore I am’ was formulated by Descartes, a theme that established western rationalism as the popular philosophical body of work that could be put to practical uses. In his works, Mediation on First Philosophy and Discourse on the Method established Descartes’ fame as a thinker of repute. Rationality as a precept of life propounded by Descartes was used as the basis by other rationalist philosophers and indeed became the founding philosophy for the nation-states to develop. It is not a matter of accident that the Peace of Westphalia was signed in 1648. This treaty marked the formation of modern nation-states as we know it with clearly defined geographical boundaries with common ethnic or religious groupings forming the polity of such states. It can be argued that the rationalism of Descartes, did in many ways contribute to that momentous event.
Deriving from his philosophy of rationality and rational thinking, Descartes expanded his investigation of Geometry to create the science of Analytical geometry. Cartesian geometry that is taught to date in schools was completely a Descartes creation. Descartes contributed to the field of optics by formulating the laws of reflection and his basic approach of ‘rule of signs’ formed the basis for Newtonian science of calculus in the later years. Though Descartes lived in the Early Modern period, his thoughts and writings were termed by many as revolutionary and at times proscribed by the authorities. Though Descartes always proclaimed that he was a Catholic, many in the clergy accused him of being an atheist because he defended scientific rationalism.
Opposition or prescription did not diminish Descartes’ stature amongst the academic circles in Europe. By the time of his death on 11 February, 1650 in Stockholm, Sweden, Descartes was acknowledged as a philosopher and mathematician par excellence. The country of his birth honored him by changing the name of his town of birth to Descartes. In life, Descartes excited and kindled the minds of many seekers of truth. In death, Descartes continues to excite scholars worldwide, and the fundamental “I think therefore I am” holds validity and relevance to date.