DescriptionWas Voltaire a provocateur or just a publicist? Professor Lougee's reexamination of the ideas of the French philosophers focuses on Voltaire in particular. Was the legendary thinker at the heart of the increasing secularization of France on the eve of the Revolution, or was he simply publicizing changes that were already taking place? Professor Lougee describes the results of 2 intriguing studies that use the new scholarly tool of demographic history, and ends with a stunning analysis that turns traditional theory on its head.
DescriptionThe seventeenth century was one of the most fascinating and seminal periods in European history, particularly with regard to France. For it was here in France that the fruits of the earlier Renaissance were to be most brilliantly realized. Although the pa…
DescriptionFrom the death of Louis XIV in 1715 until the onset of the French Revolution in 1789, there occurred a profound evolution in the thinking of political philosophers, whose epoch is known as The Enlightenment. There were three men whose writings were to be…
DescriptionThe Story of Philosophy is a timeless overview of Western thought. Will Durant's goal was to humanize knowledge by centering the story around certain dominant personalities. He brilliantly illustrates how philosophy has evolved over time, explaining the historical, cultural, and political context of each movement and each great thinker. The best-selling philosophy book of the past century, this masterpiece of eloquent, clear prose continues to fascinate. This volume spans the 5th century B.C. to the 18th century A.D. and discusses the philosophical movements and times of Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, Francis Bacon, Spinoza, Voltaire, and Rousseau.
DescriptionThe Enlightenment stands at the threshold of the modern age. It elevated the natural sciences to the preeminent position they enjoy in modern culture. It inaugurated a skepticism toward tradition and authority that decisively shaped modern attitudes in re…
