French Literature Reviews - 2026

Th. Ebert, The Enigma of Descartes' Death
Philosophy, Anthropology and Ideas

The Enigma of Descartes' Death
Theodor Ebert

Published in Germany in 2009 by EDITIONS ALIBRI. First French translation.
"Hermann Philosophie" series edited by Roger Bruyeron and Arthur Cohen

330 pages - 14 x 21 - 2011
ISBN: 9782705681661

In the autumn of 1649, René Descartes travelled to Stockholm at the invitation of Queen Christina of Sweden. A few months later, the philosopher died there, allegedly of pneumonia. This explanation immediately raised doubts, as rumors circulated suggesting he had been poisoned.

Theodor Ebert examines the evidence and reopens the "Descartes dossier". Using existing documents that had previously received little attention, he first reconstructs the progression of the illness. In doing so, serious doubts emerge regarding the natural causes of Descartes' death. The author then sets out to discover who might have had a motive to murder Descartes and whether an opportunity arose to poison the philosopher. At the conclusion of this meticulous investigation, the enigma of Descartes' death appears in a new light.

Theodor Ebert is a German philosopher and academic, and the author of the widely discussed 2009 study on the death of Descartes, "Der rätselhafte Tod des René Descartes" ("The Mysterious Death of Descartes"), of which we present the first French translation here.

In the autumn of 1649, René Descartes travelled to Stockholm at the invitation of Queen Christina of Sweden, where he died a few months later. Theodor Ebert examines the evidence and reopens the historical dossier concerning the philosopher's final days. Using existing documents that previously received little attention, the study reconstructs the progression of the illness and raises serious doubts regarding natural causes, while exploring potential motives and opportunities.

Readers interested in the intersection of philosophy, history, and biographical investigation may find this work a relevant contribution to seventeenth-century studies. Theodor Ebert is a German philosopher and academic, and the author of the 2009 study on the death of Descartes.