The great eighteenth-century French thinker Denis Diderot (1713-84) once compared himself to a weathervane, by which he meant that his mind was in constant motion. In an extraordinarily diverse career he produced novels, plays, art criticism, works of philosophy and poetics, and also reflected on music and opera. Perhaps most famously, he ensured the publication of the Encyclopedie, which has often been credited with hastening the onset of the French Revolution. Known as one of the three greatest philosophes of the Enlightenment, Diderot rejected the Christian ideas in which he had been raised. Instead, he became an atheist and a determinist. His radical questioning of received ideas and established religion led to a brief imprisonment, and for that reason, no doubt, some of his subsequent works were written for posterity. This collection of essays celebrates the life and work of this extraordinary figure as we approach the tercentenary of his birth.

The writing and thought of Denis Diderot, a leading figure of the French Enlightenment, are explored in this anniversary volume.

About the Author
James Fowler teaches French at the University of Kent. He has written extensively on the eighteenth-century French novel and French philosophy. His publications include Voicing Desire: Family and Sexuality in Diderot's Narrative (2000) and The Libertine's Nemesis: The Prude in 'Clarissa' and the 'roman libertin' (2010).


Book Information
ISBN 9780521769563
Author James Fowler
Format Hardback
Page Count 280
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Weight(grams) 580g
Dimensions(mm) 235mm * 160mm * 19mm