Isaac Cardoso

Isaac Cardoso (born Fernando Cardoso; 1604–1683) was a Portuguese-born Sephardic Jewish physician, philosopher and polemic writer based in Verona.

Life He was born of Marrano parents

After studying medicine, philosophy, and natural sciences at Salamanca, he settled as physician at Valladolid in 1632, and was soon called as chief physician (physico mor) to Madrid. While there he published in 1632 a lecture on Vesuvius and on the causes of the earthquake, and in 1635 a treatise on the color green, which he dedicated to Isabel Henriques, who was celebrated in the academies of Madrid for her intellect, and who lived later in Amsterdam. In the latter year he also composed a funeral discourse for Lope de Vega, which was dedicated to the Duke de Sessa, and a treatise on the uses of cold water, printed in 1637, and dedicated to King Philip IV of Spain.

Cardoso claims that philosophy and science have a Jewish origin, and that Joseph educated the Egyptians.