Rene Descartes

Have you ever heard of the Cartesian Method or the Cartesian plane? If you have ever been associated with any type of high school level or college level of math, than you have probably found yourself using either of these mathematical contributions. What if the Cartesian Method or the Cartesian plane didn't exist? How much harder would your everyday work be? Because of the mathematical genius of Rene Descartes, we are able to easily find solutions to problems not only with business and finances, but everyday life.

Rene Descartes was born on March 31, 1596, near Tours, France. At the age of eight years old, he was sent to the Jesuit college of La Fleche in Anjou. While in school, he found an interest in mathematics because he felt he knew too little about the other subjects in school. Because of his poor health as an adolescent, Rene was allowed to stay in bed, unlike all of the other students, until 11 o'clock in the morning, and he carried on this tradition until the day he died. After he left La Fleche in 1612, he went to the University of Poitiers, where he studied law and received a degree in 1616. Two years later, Rene enrolled in the Breda military school in Holland, where he studied mathematics and mechanics for two more years. He then decided to explore Europe and in1619, He joined the Bavarian army. For the next eight years, Rene traveled through various countries in Europe making connections with important people that would later on help him with his scientific and mathematical studies. In 1628, Rene grew weary of his roving and decided that he would reside in Holland. (O'Conner, 1)

For four years, Rene focused on the physical theory of the universe and wrote the Le Monde, but after conflicts with the church decided to drop the whole project; however, the book was published one year later. He then began a follow up work, called Meditationes, on universal science, previously studied in 1637 by a man named Leyden. In 1644, Rene wrote the Principia Phiosophiae, which focused on the physical science. Three years later, Rene was honored for his work by the French court. In1649, he went to Sweden upon invite by the queen and remained there until his death, a few months later (Ball, 2). According to O'Conner and Robertson, the Queen of Sweden wanted to speak with Rene at 5 o'clock in the morning. Rene decided to break his habit of getting up no earlier than 11 o'clock and because he