Géraud de Cordemoy

Géraud de Cordemoy was a member of a family of ancient nobility originating from Auvergne (from the town of Royat), but was born and died in Paris.

Géraud de Cordemoy used to haunt the philosophical circles of the capital; he made acquaintance with Emmanuel Maignan and Jacques Rohault.

[2] A friend and a protégé of Bossuet who admired Descartes too, Géraud de Cordemoy was appointed lecteur (tutor) to the Dauphin (son of King Louis XIV), at the same time as Fléchier.

Using a judicial figure of speech, he shows that the body, in law a person, in physics an ultimate component of matter, is indivisible.

In his work "Le discernement du corps et de l’âme" (Discrimination between body and soul) he develops such thoughts which were criticized at that time by the followers of Descartes.

In a more original way, in his work "Traité physique de la parole"( physical treatise of the word)- a variation of the previous title - he develops the notion that no motivated relation between the material sign and the expressed idea exists, as much as no real relation exists between body and soul.

Animals may utter sounds and parrots may reproduce words, only human beings are able to communicate ideas, and that shows the presence of a rational soul.