Denis Diderot

Lore & Background

Denis Diderot was born in Langres, Champagne, to Didier Diderot, a cutler, and Angélique Vigneron. He studied philosophy at a Jesuit college, then considered the clergy before briefly studying law. When he decided to become a writer in 1734, his father disowned him, and he lived a bohemian existence for the next decade. In the 1740s he wrote many of his best-known works, including the 1748 novel Les Bijoux indiscrets.

Reader's Guide

Diderot's significance lies in his role as co-founder and chief editor of the Encyclopédie, the first encyclopedia to include contributions from many named contributors and to describe the mechanical arts. Its secular tone, including articles skeptical about Biblical miracles, led to bans by the Catholic Church in 1758 and the French government in 1759, though the ban was not strictly enforced. Diderot became sole editor after d'Alembert left in 1759, writing around 7,000 articles. Despite his despondency about the project by its end, the Encyclopédie is considered a forerunner of the French Revolution. Diderot struggled financially and received little official recognition, but his fortunes improved in 1766 when Russian Empress Catherine the Great bought his 3,000-volume library and paid him as its custodian. Many of his most important works were published only after his death.

Did You Know?

• Diderot was disowned by his father in 1734 after deciding to become a writer.
• He wrote around 7,000 articles for the Encyclopédie.
• Russian Empress Catherine the Great bought his 3,000-volume library in 1766.
• His novel Les Bijoux indiscrets was his most published work.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"Denis Diderot (5 October 1713 – 31 July 1784) was a French philosopher and chief editor of the historic project to produce L'Encyclopédie." — Denis Diderot "From fanaticism to barbarism is only one step." — Denis Diderot "If you want me to believe in God, you must make me touch him." — Denis Diderot "When one compares the talents one has with those of a Leibniz, one is tempted to throw away one's books and go die quietly in the dark of some forgotten corner." — Denis Diderot