Samuel de Sorbiere facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Samuel de Sorbiere
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Samuel de Sorbiere
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| Born | 17 September 1615 Saint-Ambroix, Languedoc, France
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| Died | 9 April 1670 Paris, France
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| Medical career | |
| Profession | Physician |
Samuel de Sorbière (1615–1670) was a French doctor and a smart writer. He was also a philosopher and a translator. He is best known for sharing the ideas of other important thinkers like Thomas Hobbes and Pierre Gassendi. Sorbière supported Gassendi's ideas about physics.
He was also known for his strong opinions and for sometimes disagreeing with others. Sorbière thought about whether doctors should always be honest about their mistakes. In 1672, he believed that being completely open might make people lose trust in doctors. He thought that being fully honest about medical errors "would not catch on."
Contents
Samuel de Sorbière's Life and Work
Samuel de Sorbière moved to the Netherlands in the 1640s. There, he started translating important books into French. He helped share big ideas from his time with more people.
Sharing Important Books
In 1643, Sorbière published a French version of Thomas More's Utopia. This book describes an imaginary perfect society. He also worked closely with the famous English philosopher Thomas Hobbes.
Sorbière helped publish Hobbes's book De Cive in 1647. He then translated it into French in 1649. He also translated Hobbes's De Corpore Politico in 1652. Later, he helped find a publisher for Hobbes's own Latin translation of Leviathan in 1668. These books talked about how governments and societies should work.
His Own Writings and Ideas
Sorbière also wrote his own books. His collection of letters and discussions, called Lettres et discours de M. de Sorbière, sur diverses matières curieuses, came out in 1660. In these writings, he tried to find a balance between science and religion. He believed that science and metaphysics (ideas about reality) should be kept separate.
He also wrote about the life of Pierre Gassendi, another important thinker. This writing was included in Gassendi's collected works in 1658. Sorbière communicated with many smart people of his time. These included Marin Mersenne and François de La Mothe Le Vayer.
Visit to England and Controversy
In 1663 and 1664, Sorbière traveled to England. While there, he became a member of the Royal Society in 1663. The Royal Society was a famous group of scientists.
His Travel Account
In 1664, Sorbière published a book about his trip. It was called Relation d'un voyage en Angleterre. In this book, he shared his thoughts on England. He mentioned that he found the food and inns to be not very good. He also suggested that the Royal Society wanted to build a large library.
The Response to His Book
Sorbière's comments upset some people in England. Thomas Sprat, who spoke for the Royal Society, wrote a book in response. Sprat's book, Observations upon Monsieur de Sorbier's Voyage into England, came out in 1665. It was a reply to what Sprat saw as insults against English culture and the Royal Society.
To prevent more arguments between countries, Sorbière was stopped from writing further about his trip. Even Charles II of England said that no more responses should be published.
A Change in Beliefs
Sorbière changed his religious beliefs from Calvinism to Catholicism. This change helped him in his career. Some people believe this decision was made for political reasons.
