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Dromo's Den
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[Up] [Dromo's Den] Rene Descartes Biography Descartes, René, (Renatus Cartesus), a French philosopher; born in La Haye, Touraine, France, March 31, 1596. While pursuing his education in the Jesuits' school at La Fleche, where he studied philology, mathematics, and astronomy, his superior intellect manifested itself. After a variety of travels he remained in Holland where he composed most of his writings from 1629 to 1649, drew about him many scholars, and was engaged in many learned controversies, especially with theologians. His celebrated system abounds in singularities and originalities; but a spirit of independent thought prevails throughout it, and has contributed to excite the same spirit in others. It has done much to give to philosophical inquiries a new direction and found many adherents. Descartes loved independence; he nevertheless suffered himself to be persuaded to go to Stockholm on the invitation of Queen Christina, who was very desirous of his society. He died in that place Feb. 11, 1650. People’s Cyclopedia, Vol. II (New York: Syndicate Publishing, 1914) |