3.5
Philosophical Letters
ByPublisher Description
Best known for his philosophical novel Candide, Voltaire ranked among the leading intellectuals of the Enlightenment period. His two-and-a-half-year sojourn in England left a profound impression, and these letters — written as though explaining English society to a French friend — focus on the country's religion and politics, with commentaries on Quakers, the Church of England, Presbyterians, Anti-Trinitarians, Parliament, the government, and commerce. They also include essays on Locke, Descartes, and Newton. Voltaire was much influenced by English tolerance, and his observations on the subject sounded a revolutionary note among European readers that resonated for long afterward. First published in English in 1733, Philosophical Letters was condemned by the French government as "likely to inspire a license of thought most dangerous to religion and civil order." It remains a landmark of the Age of Reason.
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Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communitiesPhilosophical Letters Reviews
3.5
“Finished, this was an interesting read that still feels relevant, Picked up Letters to England expecting dry 18th-century commentary and found something far more alive.
I can see exactly why Schopenhauer and Nietzsche both respected him.
Schopenhauer appreciated Voltaire’s skepticism toward metaphysics that never advances ( have to say I appreciate it too, glad they put an end to metaphysics it was ridiculously tediousand Nietzsche saw in him a clear, fighting spirit unafraid of sacred cows, after reading, I see why he said that. Left me properly excited to read more Voltaire”
“Reading Voltaire’s Philosophical Letters was really refreshing. I liked how openly he criticized things most people back then were afraid to question, like religion and the way power worked in France. His comparisons with England showed how important freedom of thought and tolerance are. What I enjoyed most was how he made serious points with humor and simple observations. It made me realize how necessary it is to question authority if we want real progress.”
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