René Descartes

René Descartes (1596-1650) was a French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist, often referred to as the "father of modern philosophy" due to his role in shifting philosophical thought towards rationalism and scientific inquiry. His most famous work, Meditations on First Philosophy, introduces the foundational principle "Cogito, ergo sum" ("I think, therefore I am"), establishing the thinking self as the starting point for knowledge. Descartes’ development of analytical geometry also revolutionized mathematics, bridging algebra and geometry, which laid the groundwork for calculus. His emphasis on reason and methodical doubt as tools to achieve certainty influenced the Enlightenment and the scientific method. Descartes' legacy endures in philosophy, mathematics, and the natural sciences, as his ideas continue to shape our understanding of knowledge, reality, and the nature of existence.