Political Writings

by Denis Diderot, John Hope Mason (Editor), Robert Wokler (Editor)

This volume presents a selection of the political writings of one of the most significant figures of the French enlightenment. It contains the most important articles that Diderot contributed to the Encyclopédie, of which he was principal editor, the complete texts of his Supplément au Voyage de Bougainville and Observations sur le Nakaz (translated into English here for the first time), and a substantial number of his contributions to Raynal's Histoire des Deux Indes. The editors' introduction puts these works in context, showing their essential features and underlying coherence.

Genres: Philosophy, Politics, France

276 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1963

About the author

Work on the Encyclopédie (1751-1772), supreme accomplishment of French philosopher and writer Denis Diderot, epitomized the spirit of thought of Enlightenment; he also wrote novels, plays, critical essays, and brilliant letters to a wide circle of friends and colleagues.

Jean le Rond d'Alembert contributed.

This artistic prominent persona served as best known co-founder, chief editor, and contributor.

He also contributed notably to literature with Jacques le fataliste et son maître (Jacques the Fatalist and his Master), which emulated Laurence Sterne in challenging conventions regarding structure and content, while also examining ideas about free will. Diderot also authored of the known dialogue, Le Neveu de Rameau (Rameau's Nephew), basis of many articles and sermons about consumer desire. His articles included many topics.

Diderot speculated on free will, held a completely materialistic view of the universe, and suggested that heredity determines all human behavior. He therefore warned his fellows against an overemphasis on mathematics and against the blind optimism that sees in the growth of physical knowledge an automatic social and human progress. He rejected the idea of progress. His opinion doomed the aim of progressing through technology to fail. He founded on experiment and the study of probabilities. He wrote several articles and supplements concerning gambling, mortality rates, and inoculation against smallpox. He discreetly but firmly refuted technical errors and personal positions of d'Alembert on probability.

Reviews

[Joe Johns · Rating 3 out of 5]

In terms of historical value, this work is priceless. For this reason alone, I have chosen to give it three stars. However, Diderot's atrocious political positions and immorality come to the fore in this work. One can clearly see how he inspired the French Revolution while reading his odd and sometimes disturbing commentaries on the natives of Tahiti, for example. In the work, he continually praises pre-civilized morality and scoffs at Christianity as overly strict and superstitious. It is interesting how a man who professed his commitment to reason could end up being so unreasonable. When the French Revolutionaries followed Diderot's advice and "strangled the last king with the entrails of the last priest" they did not bring about the age of reason that he foresaw. Instead, they brought about the savagery and immorality that he praised in his political writings. Far from becoming a Noble Savage, when he was deprived of faith and tradition, man became an ignoble beast.

[zoloftprincessdiaries6-9 · Rating 3 out of 5]

only read bits of this for a discussion, but I am impressed by how Diderot is critical of patriarchy without qualifying as a feminist ( that would be crazyyyyyyy )

I love a good critique on Christian sexual morality and colonial arrogance!