René Descartes (1596-1650) was a French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist who is often referred to as the "Father of Modern Philosophy." He is best known for his contributions to the fields of metaphysics, epistemology, and mathematics.
Descartes was born in La Haye en Touraine, France and received a Jesuit education before studying law at the University of Poitiers. However, he soon became dissatisfied with the traditional education system and turned to philosophy and mathematics.
One of Descartes' most famous works is his treatise "Meditations on First Philosophy," in which he presents his famous statement "Cogito, ergo sum" (I think, therefore I am). This statement reflects his belief that the only thing that can be known with absolute certainty is one's own existence as a thinking being.
Descartes also made significant contributions to the field of mathematics. He developed the Cartesian coordinate system, which revolutionized geometry and laid the foundation for modern analytical geometry. He also made important discoveries in optics and physics.
In addition to his philosophical and scientific pursuits, Descartes was also a devout Catholic and believed that science and religion could coexist. However, his ideas were controversial in their time.