Isaac Beeckman

Isaac Beeckman ( born December 10, 1588 Middelburg, † May 19 1637 in Dordrecht ) was a Dutch philosopher and scientist.

Beeckman was born in Middelburg. He studied literature and philosophy in Leiden and completed in 1618 to study medicine in Caen. After working for a short time in the business of his father, he was vice-principal in Utrecht and later in Rotterdam. 1627, he was rector of the Latin school Dordrecht. He died there at the age of 48 years.

Beeckman was a student of Simon Stevin. He was a teacher of Johan de Witt and close friend of René Descartes, who dedicated to him one of his first works. Later they fell out over the question of whether Beeckman was for the mathematical knowledge Descartes ' co-responsible. At this time Beeckman was counted among the most learned people in Europe.

1905 was discovered his diary in the city archives Middelburg and later released.