Descartes (Magill’s Literary Annual 1991-2005)
At a glance:
- Author: Stephen Gaukroger
- First Published: 1995
- Type of Work: Biography
- Time of Work: 1596-1650
- Setting: France, Germany, The Netherlands, and Sweden
- Principal Characters: René Descartes, Isaac Beeckman, Queen Christina of Sweden, Father Marin Mersenne, Claude Mydorge
- Genres: Nonfiction, Biography
- Subjects: Philosophy or philosophers, France or French people, Science or scientists, Religion, Catholics or Catholic Church, Learning or scholarship, Mathematics or mathematicians, Mind and body
- Locales: France, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden
René Descartes is considered to be the founder of modern philosophy. This brilliant mathematician and scientist interwove theories about philosophy and religion at a time when, for example, the Roman Catholic Church found the Italian astronomer, mathematician, and natural philosopher Galileo guilty of heresy. Descartes’ brilliance enabled him to couch his theories about the relationship between God and humanity, and about the nature of the universe, in a philosophical language acceptable to the Roman Catholic Church. Stephen Gaukroger’s work retraces with acute detail Descartes’...
[The entire page is 1920 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
