René Descartes
Antony's:
influence, especially the idea of "globules" as a basic unit of matter
Birth or Baptism date:
March 31, 1596
Death or Burial date:
February 11, 1650
The Frenchman Descartes spent much of his adult life living in South Holland. There is no evidence that he and Leeuwenhoek ever met. Leeuwenhoek's continued reference to globules and his use of Cartesian ideas to explain vacuums and anaerobic life attests to van Leeuwenhoek's awareness of the major innovative philosophies of his time.
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