Rene Descartes

In the village of La Haye in 1596 was the baby born Rene Descartes, philosopher, scientist, a famous French mathematician. When he was young Jesuit school, College of La Fleche. Once the age of twenty he was able to master degree in law from the University of Poitiers though never practice of science altogether. Although Descartes get good education, but he believes there really anything that science can be trusted without mathematics. Therefore, instead he continued his formal education, rover decision here but around Europe and see the world with their own eyes. Thanks to basically come from a family in, it is possible he was wandering around freely and loosely. There's no money problems.

From 1616 until 1628, Descartes actually jumping back and forth, from one country to another. He entered the army for three different (Netherlands, Germany and Honggaria), although apparently he never fought at all. Also visited Italy, Polish, Danish and other countries. In these years, he collects what it deems is a general method to find the truth. When he was thirty-two years, Descartes decided to use his method in an attempt to build a real picture of the world. He then settled in the Netherlands and lived there for not less than twenty-one years. (They chose the Netherlands because the country was considered to provide intellectual freedom greater than other countries, and because he wanted to distance themselves from the Parisian social life is not reassuring enough).

Around the year 1629 he wrote Rules for the Direction of the Mind book that gives the outlines of his methods. However, this book is not complete and it seems he does not intend to publish it. First published more than fifty years after Descartes died. From 1630 until 1634, Descartes used his method of scientific research. To learn more about the anatomy and physiology, he was doing assessments separately. He struggled in areas that stand alone as optics, meteorology, mathematics and various branches of science.

Descartes' own desire becomes present the results of scientific investigations in a book called Le Monde (The World). However, in the year 1633, when the book was almost done, he with the church authorities in Italy condemned Galileo for supporting Copernicus' theory that the world is actually round, not flat, and the earth rotates around the sun, not vice versa. While in Holland he was not under the authority of the Catholic church, yet he resolved to be careful to not publish the book even though he actually agreed with the Copernican theory. Instead, in the year 1637 he published his famous Discourse on the Method for properly Guiding the Reason and Finding Truth in the Sciences (usually summarized only Discourse on Method).

Discourse was written in French and not Latin so that all the intelligence to read, including those who did not get a classic education. In addition there are three essays Discourse.

Therein Descartes presents examples of discoveries that have been done by using that method. First additional Optics, Descartes explains the law of light deflection (that were discovered by Willebord Snell). He also questioned the issue of various lenses and optical instruments, describing functions and various eye-kelainannya disorders and describe the essence of light theory beginner version of the recent wave theory formulated by Christiaan Huygens. Both consist of additional discussion of meteorological affairs, Descartes was talking about clouds, rain, wind, and the precise explanation of the rainbow. He issued a rebuttal to the opinion that the heat of an invisible fluid of the eye, and he rightly concluded that the heat is a form of internal movement. (However, this opinion has been found first by Francis Bacon and others). The third additional geometry, he presents the most important contribution of all of the above, the discovery of analytic geometry. This is a huge step of progress in mathematics, and provides a way for Newton discovered calculus.

Perhaps, the most interesting part of the philosophy of Descartes was the way he started something. Examining a large number of opinions are generally wrong people have been agreed, Descartes concluded to seek the real truth he should start doing step plain and clear. For that, he began by doubting everything, what the teacher said. Dubious dubious beliefs that have been prevailing opinion, doubting the existence outside the world of nature, and even doubted his own existence. Anyway, doubt everything.

This shit just to make him face the problems that confront: is it possible solution to overcome the doubts that so universal, and whether it is possible to find reliable knowledge about everything? However, through metaphysical reasons that smart, he could satisfy himself that he actually "there" ( "I think, therefore I am"), and God exists outside of nature and the world is there. This is the first step of the theory of Descartes.

Significance of Descartes's theory has a double value. First, he placed the center of his philosophy system epistomologis fundamental problems, "Did muasalnya origins of human knowledge that?" previous philosophers have tried to paint a picture of the world. Descartes taught us that such questions can not give a satisfactory answer except when linked to the question "How do I know?"

Second, Descartes suggested we should go instead to the trust, but with doubt. (This is completely opposite of the attitude of St. Augustine, and generally middle-century theologians that faith must come first). It is true that Descartes then went on and came to the conclusion that the orthodox theologically, but his readers are more interested and pay greater attention to the methods developed than kongklusi which he pulled. (Fear of the church that Descartes writings will eventually become dangerous, obviously).

In philosophy, Descartes emphasizes real difference between the mind and material objects, and in this connection he defended dualism. This difference has been made before, but the writings of Descartes' philosophical discussions about promoting it. Dikemukakannya interesting problems that philosophers since then, and remains unresolved.

Another major influence of Descartes' conception is about the physical universe. He was sure, all of nature - except God and the human spirit - to work mechanically, and therefore all events can be explained naturally and from mechanical causes. On this basis he rejected the assumptions astrology, magic and other ketahayulan. Meaning, he rejected all teleological explanations of events. (That is, he's looking for the causes direct mechanical and reject the assumption that the incident happened to something far final destination). From the view of Descartes, in fact, all beings are complicated machines, and the human body was subject to the usual mechanical laws. This opinion has since become one of the fundamental ideas of modern physiology.

Descartes menggandrungi scientific investigation and he believed that practical use can be beneficial to the community. He thought, scientists must stay away from opinions that false and should try to describe the world mathematically. All this modern sounds. However, Descartes, through his own observations had never meant it emphasizes the importance of experiments ruwetnya scientific method.

A famous English philosopher, Francis Bacon, have expressed the need for scientific investigation and the benefits that can be expected from there several years before Descartes. And Descartes famous argument that says "I think, therefore I exist," is not an original opinion. It has been proposed more than 1200 years earlier (although in a different sentence, of course) by the St. Augustine. The same is about "proof" Descartes the existence of God is a variation of the ontological opinion first expressed by St.. Anselm (1033-1109).

In 1641 Descartes published his famous Meditations. And his book Principles of philosophy appeared in 1644. The second book was originally written in Latin and French translation appeared in 1647.

Although Descartes was a lively writer with a lovely prose style, the tone of the writing was old-fashioned. He really looks (perhaps due to a rational approach, he's like the middle of the century scholars. Instead of Francis Bacon, though born thirty-five years before Descartes, the tone of modern writing).

Clearly in his writings, Descartes was a firm belief about the existence of God. He considers himself an obedient Catholic, but the Catholic church did not like his views, and his work is classified into the "index" of books forbidden to read. Even among Protestant Holland (at that time probably the most tolerant country in Europe), Descartes was accused of an atheist and have trouble with the authorities.

Year 1649 Descartes accepted an offer considerable financial assistance from Queen Christina, Sweden, to come to his country and his own teacher. Descartes was very disappointed when he knew that the Queen wants to be taught at five o'clock in the morning! He worried that the cold morning air can membikinnya die. And it's true: he got pneumonia, died in February 1650, just four months after the till in Sweden.

Descartes never married, but had a daughter who unfortunately died young.

Philosophy of Descartes was criticized sharply by many contemporary philosophers, partly because they consider that philosophy uses reason in circles. Some again showed the flaws in the system. And very few people today who defend it with all my heart. However, the significance of a philosopher is not the truth lies in the system; but on whether the least important ideas, or whether his ideas were copied and influential people at large. From this measure, Little doubt that Descartes was an important figure.

There are at least five ideas that Descartes had a significant influence on the European mind: (a) The mechanical view of the universe; (b) a positive attitude toward scientific assessments; (c) pressure, placed on the use of mathematics in science; (d) defense of the basic initial skepticism, and (e) penitikpusatan attention to epistemology.

Concluded that the overall significance of Descartes, I am also considering the impressive scientific discovery, especially discovery of analytic geometry. These factors make the reasons I put Descartes in the sequence is somewhat higher than the famous philosopher, philosophers such as Voltaire, Rousseau, and Francis Bacon. Michael H. Hart,One hundred most influential figures in the history.