Descartes, the Pioneer of the Scientific Revolution

摘要

Since Father Adrien Baillet's sometimes unreliable biography of 1691, Descartes has been captivating the commentators; hundreds of books have been devoted to details of his life, published not only in France, where Descartes is considered a national hero, but abroad as well. A difficulty lies in the outstanding variety of Descartes's interests. A careful biographer should develop extensive background in mathematics, physics (theoretical and experimental), metaphysics, physiology and medicine, philosophy, and theology. Clarke, a professor of philosophy at the University of Cork, has done a remarkable job in the history of ideas and philosophical biography. I nevertheless regret his too-short treatment of Cartesian mathematics. I will examine first the most important phases of Descartes's life and thought following Clarke's book. In a separate article in this issue of the Notices, I shall propose a brief study of Descartes's mathematics.