Voltaire was a French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher famous for his wit, his criticism of Christianity, especially the Catholic Church, and his advocacy of freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and separation of church and state. He was a versatile and prolific writer, producing works in almost every literary form, including plays, poems, novels, essays, and historical and scientific works. He wrote more than 20,000 letters and more than 2,000 books and pamphlets. He was an outspoken advocate of civil liberties, despite the risk this placed him in under the strict censorship laws of the time. As a satirical polemicist, he frequently made use of his works to criticize intolerance, religious dogma, and the French institutions of his day.
Voltaire was born François-Marie Arouet in Paris, the youngest of the five children of François Arouet (a lawyer) and his wife, Marie Marguerite Daumard (c. 1696–1750). His family was not wealthy, and his father worked in the law courts. Voltaire was sent to study law, but he decided instead to become a writer. He adopted his pen name in 1718, after being imprisoned briefly for his satirical writing.
Voltaire's wit, his criticism of Christianity, especially the Catholic Church, and his advocacy of freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and separation of church and state made him one of the most influential figures in the history of Western thought. His works and ideas are still widely read and respected today, and he is often considered one of the greatest writers and thinkers in the history of the Western world.
Voltaire's best-known works are his novels Candide and Zadig, and his philosophical treatise on toleration, Letters on the English. He also wrote a number of influential plays, including Brutus, Irene, and Mahomet the Prophet. In addition to his literary and philosophical works, Voltaire was an active participant in the political and social events of his time. He was a vocal critic of the Catholic Church and its role in French society, and he was a strong advocate of religious freedom and the separation of church and state. He was also a strong critic of the French monarchy and the privileges of the aristocracy, and he supported the idea of a constitutional monarchy and the rights of the common people.
Despite the many controversies that surrounded him, Voltaire remained a popular and influential figure throughout his life, and his works and ideas continue to be widely read and respected today. His wit, his criticism of Christianity, and his advocacy of freedom of religion and freedom of speech made him one of the most influential figures in the history of Western thought, and he is often considered one of the greatest writers and thinkers in the history of the Western world.
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Voltaire
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Voltaire was a French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher famous for his wit, his criticism of Christianity, especially the Catholic Church, and his advocacy of freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and separation of church and state. He was a versatile and prolific writer, producing works in almost every literary form, including plays, poems, novels, essays, and historical and scientific works. He wrote more than 20,000 letters and more than 2,000 books and pamphlets. He was an outspoken advocate of civil liberties, despite the risk this placed him in under the strict censorship laws of the time. As a satirical polemicist, he frequently made use of his works to criticize intolerance, religious dogma, and the French institutions of his day.
Voltaire was born François-Marie Arouet in Paris, the youngest of the five children of François Arouet (a lawyer) and his wife, Marie Marguerite Daumard (c. 1696–1750). His family was not wealthy, and his father worked in the law courts. Voltaire was sent to study law, but he decided instead to become a writer. He adopted his pen name in 1718, after being imprisoned briefly for his satirical writing.
Voltaire's wit, his criticism of Christianity, especially the Catholic Church, and his advocacy of freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and separation of church and state made him one of the most influential figures in the history of Western thought. His works and ideas are still widely read and respected today, and he is often considered one of the greatest writers and thinkers in the history of the Western world.
Voltaire's best-known works are his novels Candide and Zadig, and his philosophical treatise on toleration, Letters on the English. He also wrote a number of influential plays, including Brutus, Irene, and Mahomet the Prophet. In addition to his literary and philosophical works, Voltaire was an active participant in the political and social events of his time. He was a vocal critic of the Catholic Church and its role in French society, and he was a strong advocate of religious freedom and the separation of church and state. He was also a strong critic of the French monarchy and the privileges of the aristocracy, and he supported the idea of a constitutional monarchy and the rights of the common people.
Despite the many controversies that surrounded him, Voltaire remained a popular and influential figure throughout his life, and his works and ideas continue to be widely read and respected today. His wit, his criticism of Christianity, and his advocacy of freedom of religion and freedom of speech made him one of the most influential figures in the history of Western thought, and he is often considered one of the greatest writers and thinkers in the history of the Western world.