Pierre Gassendi
French philosopher and astronomer
Born
January 22nd, 1592
433 years ago
Died
October 24th, 1655
369 years ago — 63 years old
Category
Thinkers & Philosophers
Country
France
Links & References
A mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher contributed significantly to the early development of empirical science. Gassendi advocated for a philosophy of naturalism and sought to reconcile the teachings of Epicureanism with Christianity. He observed and documented celestial phenomena, including the transit of Mercury, and challenged Aristotelian views of the universe. In addition to astronomy, contributions to mathematics included work on the theory of probabilities and a formal critique of the Cartesian dualism. Gassendi's blend of scientific inquiry and philosophical thought laid groundwork for future Enlightenment thinkers.
Documented the transit of Mercury in 1631
Critiqued Cartesian philosophy
Popularized Epicurean philosophy
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