Voltaire
"A witty saying proves nothing."
Voltaire, or Francois-Marie Arouet was born in Paris, France in 1694 into a somewhat well-off family. When he was seven, his mother passed away and became closer to his godfather, who was much more open to thinking freely. He later attended the College Louis-le-Grand in Paris, where he showed his strength as a writer.
He went on to write more than 2,000 books and pamphlets and over 20,000 letters. His most famous was his satirical novel, Candide, which followed the style of the short story, Plato's Dream. In this novel, Voltaire challenges philosophy and religion through parody and takes a stance against Leibniz and optimism. Candide was widely banned due to its opposition to religion and criticism of society and the politics of the time. Voltaire was also well-known for his playwriting. One of his most famous works was his adaptation of Oedipus. He continued to produce many more dramatic tragedies after his first success.
Here is a short video summarizing Candide.
Voltaire's philosophy took a laissez-faire standpoint. Like other philosophers of his time, he encouraged a free and liberal society, with free commerce and freedom to practice any religion. Voltaire was a deist by reason. Although he openly criticized religion, especially Christianity, he taught religious tolerance. He appreciated Hinduism for its respect for animals, being a vegetarian and supporter of animal rights. He taught toleration, modesty, and kindness.
"All murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets."
Voltaire struggled with the government of France. As stated before, many of his works openly criticized how the country was being run. The government did not appreciate the message that he was spreading, imprisoning him twice and putting him into exile for many years, both in the Bastille and in England.
Post-Spring Break Runs: 11
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Zack McCoy
Section 11
"Cultivate your garden" is still the best advice I think any philosopher ever gave.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I do not fully agree with Voltaire on religion, I do appreciate his insight. Especially during his lifetime, when religious intolerance was rampant. However, I would say that religion is less useful than what Voltaire believed. #11
ReplyDeleteI find it very interesting how Voltaire advocated for religious tolerance and freedom during a time where that was uncommon. To which I fully agree with, as religious tolerance is important for a society to have because it allows people to better understand one another.
ReplyDeleteI think Voltaire was brave to have his own idea of what religion was in a time period with so much religious intolerance. I don't consider myself religious, but I like his idea that nature and religion can coexist.
ReplyDeleteI read Candide a couple years ago, and it was a very good book. In the book, many philosophies were attacked and many types of thought were brought into question. At the end of the novel, the main character decides that the best course of action is to just "cultivate your garden"... I think this is very good advice and it keeps us from over complicating everything. Life is short, and we need to make the best of it however we can.
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