Descartes was a French mathematician and was the founder of the modern era in philosophy. Born in La Haye, near Tours, France, Descartes was educated at the new Jesuit college at La Flèche. He later studied law in Poitiers.
His interest in methodology of a unified science is reputed to have been started by a dream in 1619. This interest has caused his to be known as "the father of the scientific method." During the next ten years Descartes traveled expansively, but he returned to Holland in 1628. Although little is known of his private life, his last words are reported to have been "Ca, mon am, il faut partir" (so, my soul, it is time to part).