Geraud de Cordemoy

Géraud de Cordemoy was a French philosopher, historian, and lawyer who lived from October 6, 1626, to October 15, 1684. Born and died in Paris, he hailed from an ancient noble family of Auvergne. His father, also named Géraud de Cordemoy, was a master of arts at the University of Paris who died when Géraud was nine. His mother was Nicole de Cordemoy. Cordemoy pursued careers as a private tutor, linguist, and lawyer. He was active in Parisian philosophical circles, befriending figures like Emmanuel Maignan and Jacques Rohault. A protegé and friend of Bossuet, and an admirer of Descartes, Cordemoy was appointed as a tutor to the Dauphin, son of King Louis XIV, alongside Fléchier. He was elected to the Académie française in 1675. Cordemoy is primarily recognized for his work on metaphysics, particularly his reformulation of Cartesian causality. He introduced the notion of 'occasional cause,' becoming a founder of occasionalism alongside Arnold Geulincx and Louis de La Forge. This theory posits that while mind and body are distinct, God acts as the true cause of interactions between them, and indeed, of all movements in the universe. His philosophical inquiries also extended to the nature of matter, where he described the indivisible components of matter using legal analogies, aligning with certain free-thinking ideas without explicitly endorsing atomism. In his "Le discernement du corps et de l’âme," he explored these concepts, drawing criticism from Cartesians. Cordemoy's "Discours physique de la parole" and "Traité physique de la parole" addressed the problem of knowing other minds. He argued that language, as a vehicle of thought, confirms the existence of souls in other humans and that the complexity of language cannot be explained by mechanical causes alone. He also proposed a more immediate, soul-to-soul communication without the need for physical signs, especially in interactions with angels. This work inspired a scene in Molière's "Le Bourgeois gentilhomme" and was later rediscovered by linguists like George Boas and Noam Chomsky. Cordemoy also dedicated 18 years to writing his "Histoire de France," a monumental work that faced challenges due to conflicting historical sources. Completed and published posthumously by his son, Louis-Géraud de Cordemoy, the history was praised by Voltaire for its efforts to clarify the early history of France. He also engaged in political and historical discourse, contributing to the intellectual landscape of his time.