Searching for: "Voltaire"

  • Voltaire

    'Candide, or Optimism' is a satirical novella written by the French philosopher Voltaire, first published in 1759. It follows the adventures of the young Candide, who is raised in a utopian world and taught that “all is for the best.” The narrative takes him through a series of misfortunes, exposing him to the harsh realities of the world, ultimately leading him to question his optimistic beliefs. Voltaire uses Candide’s journey to satirize religion, governments, the military, and the philosophy of optimism, particularly as espoused by Leibniz. 'Candide' is considered one of the greatest achievements of Western...read more

  • Voltaire

    'The Huron' is a satirical novella by Voltaire, exploring the clash of cultures between a European visitor and a Native American tribe. Through humor and wit, it critiques European colonialism and the misunderstandings that arise when different worlds meet, shedding light on the absurdities of prejudice and intolerance. Voltaire's work serves as a commentary on societal norms and the need for greater understanding and tolerance among people. Read in English,...read more

  • Voltaire

    'The Black and the White' is a satirical tale by Voltaire that explores the absurdity of racism and prejudice. The story follows a white European who turns black and a black African who turns white, highlighting the arbitrary nature of racial discrimination. Through humor and wit, Voltaire challenges societal norms and exposes the irrationality of such distinctions. Read in English,...read more

  • Voltaire

    'The Man of Forty Crowns' is a satirical short story by Voltaire, highlighting the irrationality of religious dogma and superstition. The protagonist receives an inheritance of forty crowns under the condition that he marries a woman he has never met. This absurd situation leads to a humorous exploration of societal norms and blind obedience to tradition. Voltaire's wit and sarcasm shine in this critique of 18th-century French society. Read in English,...read more

  • Voltaire

    'Zadig o el destino', es una famosa novela y la obra de ficción filosófica escrita por el filósofo de la Ilustración Voltaire. Cuenta la historia de Zadig, un filósofo de la antigua Babilonia. El autor no intenta ningún rigor histórico, y algunos de los problemas de Zadig son referencias apenas disimuladas de los problemas sociales y políticos de la época de Voltaire. El libro es de naturaleza filosófica, y presenta la vida humana como en las manos de un destino más allá del control humano. Es una historia de la ortodoxia religiosa y metafísica, los cuales Voltaire desafía con su presentación de la revolución moral que tiene lugar en Zadig a sí mismo. Uso hábil de...read more

  • Voltaire

    Voltaire's 'The Princess of Babylon' is an enchanting tale of love, intrigue, and diplomacy set in a fantastical Orient. Princess Formosante's quest for true love intertwines with political machinations, highlighting Voltaire's wit and satire. The narrative weaves romance and philosophical reflection, offering a timeless exploration of power, virtue, and the human heart, encapsulated in a captivating fairy-tale setting. Read in English,...read more

  • Voltaire

    Voltaire's 'Zadig' is a philosophical tale of a young Babylonian navigating a tumultuous life. Zadig's journey unfolds through love, betrayal, and unforeseen events, offering insightful reflections on fate and human resilience. Voltaire's wit and irony illuminate the narrative, questioning conventional wisdom and moral ambiguity. 'Zadig' stands as a timeless exploration of life's uncertainties and the pursuit of wisdom in the face of adversity. Read in English,...read more

  • Voltaire

    'Micromegas: A Philosophical History' by Voltaire, in this illustrated edition, offers a satirical and philosophical journey through the cosmos. Originally written in 1752, this short story is a reflection of Voltaire's wit and Enlightenment ideals. The narrative follows the adventures of Micromegas, an extraterrestrial being from a distant star, as he travels through the universe. Micromegas encounters various civilizations, engaging in conversations that serve as a vehicle for Voltaire to critique human nature, society, and the limitations of knowledge. In this illustrated edition, visual elements complement Voltaire's narrative, enhancing the reader's experience and...read more

  • Francois Voltaire

    Brought to you by Penguin. This Penguin Classic is performed by Ben Lloyd-Hughes, best known for Divergent, Me Before You and The Inbetweeners. This definitive recording includes an introduction by Michael Wood. Brought up in the household of a powerful Baron, Candide is an open-minded young man, whose tutor, Pangloss, has instilled in him the belief that 'all is for the best'. But when his love for the Baron's rosy-cheeked daughter is discovered, Candide is cast out to make his own way in the world. And so he and his various companions begin a breathless tour of Europe, South America and Asia, as an outrageous series of disasters befall them - earthquakes, syphilis, a brush with the...read more

  • Voltaire

    Caustic and hilarious, Candide has ranked as one of the world's great satires since its first publication in 1759. It concerns the adventures of the youthful Candide, disciple of Dr. Pangloss. In the course of his travels in Europe and South America, Candide sees and suffers such misfortune that it is difficult for him to believe that this is 'the best of all possible worlds,' as Dr. Pangloss has assured him. Indeed, it seems to be quite the opposite. In brilliantly skewering such naivete, Voltaire mercilessly exposes and satirizes romance, science, philosophy, religion, and government-the ideas and forces that permeate and control the lives of men. After many trials and travails, Candide...read more

  • Voltaire

    Voltaire's razor-sharp satire on philosophical optimism Candide is coupled here with another of the author's most celebrated works, Zadig. Both challenge the moral and philosophical orthodoxies of the day with humour and sly wit, whilst parodying the clichéd formulas of so many contemporary novels. Candide traces the fortunes of its titular character, a staunch optimist who eventually becomes disillusioned by a series of hardships and misfortunes. Zadig likewise follows its main character Zadig, a Babylonian philosopher, as he is subjected to the whims of Fate and the machinations of those around...read more

  • Voltaire

    Candide, published simultaneously in five European capitals in 1759, became an instant bestseller and is now regarded as one of the key texts of the Enlightenment. Voltaire’s preoccupations with evil and with various kinds of human folly and intolerance found a perfect vehicle in the philosophical tale. A master storyteller, he combined often wildly entertaining action with profoundly serious sense, parodying the traditional chivalric and oriental tales with which his public was more familiar to create a witty allegory of a young man whose optimism gives way to disillusionment after a series of terrible...read more

  • Voltaire

    L'Ingénu is a satirical novella by the French writer Voltaire, published in 1767. It tells the story of a Huron Indian transported to the sophistication of eighteenth century Paris, and satirizes religious doctrine, as well as the folly and injustices of French society. (Summary from...read more

  • Voltaire

    Candide is a relentless, brutal assault on government, society, religion, education, and, above all, optimism. Dr. Pangloss teaches his young students Candide and Cunegonde that everything in this world is for the best, a sentiment they cling to as the world steps in to teach them otherwise. The novel is brilliant, hilarious, blasphemous. . . and Voltaire never admitted to writing...read more

  • Voltaire

    Candide ou l'Optimisme est un conte philosophique de Voltaire paru à Genève en janvier 1759. Il a été réédité vingt fois du vivant de l'auteur, ce qui en fait un des plus grands succès littéraires français de l'époque. Candide est un jeune garçon vivant au château du baron de Thunderten-tronckh qui se trouve en Westphalie. Il a pour maître Pangloss, philosophe qui enseigne la ' métaphysico-théologo-cosmolonigologie ', et qui professait, à l'instar de Leibniz, que l'on vit dans le meilleur des mondes possibles. Candide est chassé de ce meilleur des mondes possibles à la suite d'un baiser interdit échangé avec Cunégonde, la fille du Baron. Candide découvre alors le...read more

  • Voltaire

    -A collection of Voltaire's ideas and thoughts that were too short for pamphlets but worth saving for later development-wise and witty entries on subjects as diverse as atheism and...read more

  • Voltaire

    Candide is the story of a gentle man who, though pummeled and slapped in every direction by fate, clings desperately to the belief that he lives in "the best of all possible worlds." On the surface a witty, bantering tale, this eighteenth-century classic is actually a savage, satiric thrust at the philosophical optimism that proclaims that all disaster and human suffering is part of a benevolent cosmic plan. Fast, funny, often outrageous, the French philosopher's immortal narrative takes Candide around the world to discover that -- contrary to the teachings of his distringuished tutor Dr. Pangloss -- all is not always for the best. Alive with wit, brilliance, and graceful storytelling,...read more

  • Voltaire

    La philosophie moderne est un courant de pensée qui inclut une partie de la Renaissance, le XVIIe siècle, et le siècle des Lumières. Amorcée par la Renaissance italienne et héritière de la pensée antique, elle en constitue un dépassement lié à l'essor de la pensée scientifique, et qui constitue les fondements de la philosophie occidentale. Découvrez les piliers de la pensée moderne avec 400 citations sélectionnées parmi les plus marquantes des oeuvres de quatre philosophes piliers de l'époque moderne. Spinoza est celui par qui une pensée religieuse critique est devenue possible, et qui démontra la possibilité de penser Dieu sur des bases logiques plutôt qu'un dogme...read more

  • Montesquieu

    La pensée des Lumières émerge dans la seconde moitié du XVIIe siècle avant de se développer dans toute l'Europe, notamment en France, au XVIIIe siècle. Ses penseurs sont engagés contre l'oppression religieuse et politique, et oeuvrent pour le progrès contre l'obscurantisme et les superstitions passées ; leur pensée a amené le triomphe de la raison sur la croyance, et s'est montrée déterminante dans les grands événements qui ont marqué l'Histoire moderne. Cette collection de 400 citations rassemble l'essence des grandes découvertes de philosophes majeurs dont la pensée résume les Lumières. Diderot a laissé son empreinte dans l'histoire de tous les genres littéraires...read more

  • Pascal

    Plongez en profondeur dans la philosophie française, en découvrant la pensée de ses plus grandes figures avec une collection de citations sélectionnées pour établir l'essentiel de leurs découvertes dans le respect de leur style, sous une forme facile à comprendre et à mémoriser. Mathématicien et philosophe, Blaise Pascal est un des plus grands esprits ayant jamais existé ; on lui doit des avancées immenses dans le domaine scientifique comme dans celui de la foi et de la morale. Montesquieu est l'un des penseurs de l'organisation politique et sociale sur lesquels les sociétés modernes et politiquement libérales s'appuient. Ses conceptions - notamment en matière de...read more