Johannes de Raey
Encyclopedia
Johannes de Raey (Wageningen
, the Netherlands, 1622, - Amsterdam
1702) was a Dutch philosopher and an early cartesian
.
with Henricus Regius
and from 1643 at the university of Leiden. He read philosophy
with Prof. Adriaan Heereboord and on 16 July 1647 obtained his doctorate in medicine with Adolphus Vorstius. The previous day he had obtained the title of magister artius.
. His salary there was 3000 guilders per year, making him the best paid Amsterdam professor of his time.
In Leiden De Raey lectured in medicine as well, and in Amsterdam in physics. As a medical doctor, he was very interested in anatomy
. In Amsterdam he became a member of the informal society "Collegium privatum Amstelodamense", of which the members (among whom were Jan Swammerdam
and Gerard Blasius) practised the comparative anatomical research of man and animal.
, whom he knew personally, and who called him the best teacher of his doctrines. Yet De Raey did not entirely discount Aristotle
, but rather regarded Descartes as the one who completed Aristotle's ideas. Through his lectures and publications De Raey became one of the pioneers of the cartesian doctrine, influencing among others Leibniz. But since in those days Descartes's ideas were too radical for many, De Raey moderated them somewhat and stated that the writings of Descartes were not entirely opposed to aristotelian philosophy.
De Raey felt that philosophy depended wholly on reason, and was detached from sensory perception and taught knowledge. Doubt
was the foundation of true philosophy. According to De Raey philosophy had nothing to do with daily life and theology
. The importance of De Raey for philosophy lies in the fact that he propagated Descartes's ideas, a.o. by smoothing the edges.
Wageningen
' is a municipality and a historical town in the central Netherlands, in the province of Gelderland. It is famous for Wageningen University, which specializes in life sciences. The city has 37,414 inhabitants , of which many thousands are students...
, the Netherlands, 1622, - Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
1702) was a Dutch philosopher and an early cartesian
René Descartes
René Descartes ; was a French philosopher and writer who spent most of his adult life in the Dutch Republic. He has been dubbed the 'Father of Modern Philosophy', and much subsequent Western philosophy is a response to his writings, which are studied closely to this day...
.
Life facts and education
De Raey was born in 1622 in the Dutch town of Wageningen as son to Jan Jansz van Ray and Hendersken van Lennep. In 1645 he married his cousin Cunera van Lennep. He died in Amsterdam on 30 November 1702. De Raey studied in UtrechtUtrecht University
Utrecht University is a university in Utrecht, Netherlands. It is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands and one of the largest in Europe. Established March 26, 1636, it had an enrollment of 29,082 students in 2008, and employed 8,614 faculty and staff, 570 of which are full professors....
with Henricus Regius
Henricus Regius
Henricus Regius was a Dutch philosopher, physician, and professor of medicine. He was a vocal proponent of Cartesianism, and corresponded frequently with René Descartes...
and from 1643 at the university of Leiden. He read philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
with Prof. Adriaan Heereboord and on 16 July 1647 obtained his doctorate in medicine with Adolphus Vorstius. The previous day he had obtained the title of magister artius.
Career
From 1653 to 1668 De Raey was professor of philosophy in Leiden. He made such an excellent name for himself, that the Athenaeum Illustre in 1668 offered him a professorate in AmsterdamAmsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. His salary there was 3000 guilders per year, making him the best paid Amsterdam professor of his time.
In Leiden De Raey lectured in medicine as well, and in Amsterdam in physics. As a medical doctor, he was very interested in anatomy
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
. In Amsterdam he became a member of the informal society "Collegium privatum Amstelodamense", of which the members (among whom were Jan Swammerdam
Jan Swammerdam
Jan Swammerdam was a Dutch biologist and microscopist. His work on insects demonstrated that the various phases during the life of an insect—egg, larva, pupa, and adult—are different forms of the same animal. As part of his anatomical research, he carried out experiments on muscle contraction...
and Gerard Blasius) practised the comparative anatomical research of man and animal.
Philosophy
De Raey was a dedicated follower of René DescartesRené Descartes
René Descartes ; was a French philosopher and writer who spent most of his adult life in the Dutch Republic. He has been dubbed the 'Father of Modern Philosophy', and much subsequent Western philosophy is a response to his writings, which are studied closely to this day...
, whom he knew personally, and who called him the best teacher of his doctrines. Yet De Raey did not entirely discount Aristotle
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
, but rather regarded Descartes as the one who completed Aristotle's ideas. Through his lectures and publications De Raey became one of the pioneers of the cartesian doctrine, influencing among others Leibniz. But since in those days Descartes's ideas were too radical for many, De Raey moderated them somewhat and stated that the writings of Descartes were not entirely opposed to aristotelian philosophy.
De Raey felt that philosophy depended wholly on reason, and was detached from sensory perception and taught knowledge. Doubt
Doubt
Doubt, a status between belief and disbelief, involves uncertainty or distrust or lack of sureness of an alleged fact, an action, a motive, or a decision. Doubt brings into question some notion of a perceived "reality", and may involve delaying or rejecting relevant action out of concerns for...
was the foundation of true philosophy. According to De Raey philosophy had nothing to do with daily life and theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
. The importance of De Raey for philosophy lies in the fact that he propagated Descartes's ideas, a.o. by smoothing the edges.
Publications
- “Clavis philosophiae naturalis, seu introductio ad contemplationem naturae Aristotelico-Cartesiana”, Leiden 1654, his most influential work.
- “Disputationes physicae ad problemata Aristotelis”, Leiden 1651-1652.
- “De sapientia veterum”, Amsterdam 1669.
- He edited in Amsterdam in 1668 “Renati Descartes epistolae”, translated by Jan Hendrik Glazemaker.