~ 1596 - 1650
René Descartes was a French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist born on March 31, 1596, and died on February 11, 1650. He is best known for his contributions to modern philosophy and mathematics, particularly for his statement "Cogito, ergo sum" ("I think, therefore I am") and for developing Cartesian coordinates, which laid the groundwork for analytical geometry. Descartes' work in rationalism and skepticism has had a lasting influence on Western thought.