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Early Life Jacques du Chevreul was born 1595 in Contounces which is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France. He was born a year earlier than Rene Descartes. And He also died a year before Rene Descartes as well. Unlike Descartes, du Chevreul was always associated with a university, specifically the University of Paris and the College of Harcourt. He was the son of a magistrate, a civil officer or judge who administers the law. Descartes’ father was also a magistrate, adding to their similarities. Jacques du Chevreul's father held a Master’s of Law from Poitiers. Although his father studied law, Du Chevreul decided to take his career in a different direction.

He started his education in humanities and philosophy in which he received a Master’s degree (Master’s of Art) from the University of Paris in 1616. After receiving his Master’s degree, unlike many of his peers, he decided to continue his education in the higher faculty of theology and received the degree of Bachelor of Divinity in 1619. With his extensive knowledge, it is believed that he started teaching mathematics in 1620 at Harcourt, which is another commune in the Normandy region of northern France. Straying away from mathematics, in 1622 he began teaching philosophy. At that time the philosophy curriculum was divided into a year of logic and ethics and a year of metaphysics and physics. Although he did not publish his philosophy lectures, he did publish two mathematical texts. The mathematical curriculum in the early 17th century was divided into the quadrivium, the four liberal arts of arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy together with optics and other mathematically based disciplines. The basis of astronomical teaching was the textbook.