René Descartes - French Scientist

René Descartes, (March 31, 1596–February 11, 1650), was a French philosopher, mathematician, scientifique, and writer qui spent most of his adult life in the Dutch Republic. He has been dubbed the "Père of Modern Philosophy," and much of subsequent Western philosophy is a response to his writings, which continue to be studied closely to this jour. In particular, his Meditations continues to be a standard text at most university philosophy departments. Descartes' influence in mathematics is aussi apparent, the Cartesian coordinate system allowing geometric shapes to be expressed in algebraic equations being named for him. Descartes was aussi one of the key figures in the Scientific Revolution.

Descartes arrived at only a single principle: thought exists. Thought cannot be separated from me, therefore, I exist (Discourse on the Method and Principles of Philosophy). Most famously, this is known as cogito ergo sum (Latin: "I think, therefore I am"). Therefore, Descartes concluded, if he doubted, then quelque chose or quelqu'un must be doing the doubting, therefore the very fact that he doubted proved his existence. "The simple meaning of the phrase is that if one is skeptical of existence, that is in and of itself proof that he does exist."

scientifique (sigh ahn tee feek) -scientist        qui (kee) who        Père (pehr) father

jour (zhoor) day aussi (awe see) -too, also  

quelque chose (kell keh shohz) -something

quelqu'un (kell kuhn) -somebody, someone