~ 1596 - 1650
René Descartes was a French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist, born on March 31, 1596, and he is often referred to as the father of modern philosophy. He is best known for his statement "Cogito, ergo sum" ("I think, therefore I am") and for developing Cartesian coordinate systems in mathematics. His works laid the groundwork for much of Western philosophy and had a significant influence on the development of modern scientific thought.