Descartes, René

René Descartes is a 17th-century philosopher who argued that knowledge is inborn. He asserted that some ideas, such as that of God, the self, geometric axioms, perfection, and infinity are innate. This is in contrast with the argument of John Locke, which likens the mind to a blank slate written by experiences. Their philosophical exchange is known as the Nature-Nurture Debate.

Descartes' argument for the innateness of knowledge had a significant impact on the field of Psychology. It brought forth ideas about reflexes, instincts, and developmental milestones (motor and language) that occur similarly across species, and in humans, across cultures (e.g., human babies start walking at around the same time). Besides his stance on the nature view, Descartes had another influence on the development of Psychology as a field. He also likened the human body to a machine, in which its structures and functions render themselves for study. This comparison is believed to be the precursor to the information-processing perspective in Psychology, which likens the mind (not the body) to a machine.