Description

The fields of modern mathematics and philosophy owe a great deal to René Descartes and Blaise Pascal. As we learn more about the two thinkers, we'll explore the following questions:

1. How did Descartes balance the tension between skepticism and certainty in his philosophical writings?
2. According to Descartes, why is it important to study foreign languages?
3. Why did Pascal sharply criticize Descartes' approach to reason? 

Recommended Reading: Decartes, René. Discourse on Method. 
Barzun, Jacques. From Dawn to Decadence: 1500 to the Present: 500 Years of Western Cultural Life. New York: Harper Perennial, 2001.