Cartesian

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Cartesian \Car*te"sian\, n.
     An adherent of Descartes.
     [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:



  Cartesian \Car*te"sian\, a. [From Renatus Cartesius, Latinized
     from of Ren['e] Descartes: cf. F. cart['e]sien.]
     Of or pertaining to the French philosopher Ren['e] Descartes,
     or his philosophy.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           The Cartesion argument for reality of matter. --Sir W.
                                                    Hamilton.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     {Cartesian coordinates} (Geom), distance of a point from
        lines or planes; -- used in a system of representing
        geometric quantities, invented by Descartes.
  
     {Cartesian devil}, a small hollow glass figure, used in
        connection with a jar of water having an elastic top, to
        illustrate the effect of the compression or expansion of
        air in changing the specific gravity of bodies.
  
     {Cartesion oval} (Geom.), a curve such that, for any point of
        the curve mr + m'r' = c, where r and r' are the distances
        of the point from the two foci and m, m' and c are
        constant; -- used by Descartes.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  Cartesian
       adj : of or relating to Rene Descartes or his works; "Cartesian
             linguistics"

From THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY ((C)1911 Released April 15 1993) [devils]:

  CARTESIAN, adj.  Relating to Descartes, a famous philosopher, author
  of the celebrated dictum, _Cogito ergo sum_ -- whereby he was pleased
  to suppose he demonstrated the reality of human existence.  The dictum
  might be improved, however, thus:  _Cogito cogito ergo cogito sum_ --
  "I think that I think, therefore I think that I am;" as close an
  approach to certainty as any philosopher has yet made.