Behind the French Descartes lies a Breton Descartes. Not that this is unknown, but it goes unrecognised.
Recognising it would permit us a better acquaintance with the Descartes in question. Poet, scientist, adventurer, Descartes left a mark on his time as he left one on posterity. On every age, and maybe on ours in particular...
Descartes teaches us to think. He is a philosopher. And this is what we need. Philosophers. Thinking is not a luxury. When it is life that hangs in the balance. Descartes risked his own.
What have we learned from it ?