December 21, 2019 ☼ various

Voltaire

An excellent article about Voltaire (1694-1778). And not only: it also provides a brief but welcomed perspective over the 18th century’s Enlightenment (“the age of reason”) and the fascinating debates of the Cartesian, Newtonian, and Leibnizian advocates.

Voltaire was not only a forerunner of modern civil libertarianism, but is to be remembered for his pro-science stance (empirical science over metaphysics, active inquiry and critical reason over established-and-accepted frameworks, etc.).
“no authority, no matter how sacred, should be immune to challenge by critical reason”

One may argue his motivations, of course, as his brilliant pro-Newtonian support was directed against the Cartesian establishment. “The light of scientific truth” was used more as a weapon than a tool to deconstruct. Also, he used his outstanding skill of communication (a nearly perfect vocabulary employed in witty speeches) to successfully campaign against other thinkers’ ideas.. even without a clear grasp of their essence (see Leibniz).

Voltaire’s legacy is undeniable formidable - an ambassador of modernity as well as of human rights. I let you with one of my favourite quote:

“Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities”.

https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/voltaire/

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