The Lives of Descartes and Machiavelli: Two Pillars of Philosophy

René Descartes

Early Life and Education

René Descartes was born in La Haye en Touraine, France. He was the son of a member of the lower nobility. At the age of eight, he was sent to the Jesuit college of La Flèche in Anjou, where he remained for eight years. Descartes received a typical classical education, with teachings in mathematics and scholasticism, aiming to guide human reason to understand Christian doctrine. The Catholic doctrine exerted a great influence on Descartes throughout his lifetime.

After concluding his studies at the school, he attended the University of Poitiers, graduating with a law degree in 1616. However, he never practiced law.

Career and Travels

In 1618, he entered the service of Prince Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange, with the intention of pursuing a military career. Descartes served in other armies, but his interests always centered on the problems of mathematics and philosophy, to which he dedicated the rest of his life. Descartes traveled to Italy from 1623 to 1624 and stayed in France from 1624 to 1628. During this period, he dedicated himself to the study of philosophy and conducted experiments in optics.

Major Works and Later Life

In 1628, after selling his properties in France, he moved to the Netherlands, where he lived in different cities, including Amsterdam, Deventer, and Leiden. It was during his residence in the Netherlands that Descartes wrote his most important works. His work, published in 1637, consisted of four parts: an essay on geometry, one on optics, a third on meteors, and finally, the Discourse on the Method, which described his philosophical speculations. This was followed by other works, including Meditations on First Philosophy (1641) and Principles of Philosophy (1644). He dedicated the last volume to Princess Elisabeth of Bohemia, with whom Descartes developed a deep friendship.

In 1649, Descartes was invited to the court of Queen Christina of Sweden in Stockholm to give her philosophy lessons. However, the rigors of the northern winter led to pneumonia, which caused his death in 1650.

Niccolò Machiavelli

Early Life and Family

Niccolò Machiavelli was born in Florence on May 3, 1469. He was the son of Bernardo di Niccolò Machiavelli, a jurist, and Bartolomea di Stefano Nelli, a very beautiful and educated lady. Physically, Niccolò Machiavelli was a lean man of average height.