VOLTAIRE

Voltaire, also known as François-Marie Arouet (1694-1778), emerged as one of the most influential Enlightenment thinkers whose works were widely read and appreciated. Known for his sharp wit and biting sarcasm, Voltaire directed his critiques primarily towards the Church and its influence in society.

Voltaire’s Enlightenment Philosophy

Voltaire, or François-Marie Arouet (1694-1778), is celebrated not just for specific doctrines but for embodying Enlightenment ideals and engaging in intellectual activism that influenced his philosophical legacy.

• Liberty: Central to Voltaire's philosophy was the concept of liberty. He delved into philosophical explorations of human freedom, grappling with questions of determinism and materialism in contrast to spiritual and voluntarist views of the time. While he acknowledged natural laws, he also championed free will, emphasizing the role of reason in ethical decision-making. Voltaire's stance on liberty influenced his views on religion and society, advocating for a balance between individual freedom and social order, wherein religion played a role in preserving social harmony.
• Hedonism: Voltaire's philosophy also embraced hedonism, valuing personal pleasure and freedom. His writings, including salacious poetry and philosophical works, reflected a celebration of moral freedom and bodily pleasure. He criticized traditional moral codes and religious asceticism, promoting a moral calculus based on maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain. This hedonistic ethos extended to his views on political economy, where he saw luxury and material acquisition positively contributing to societal progress.
• Skepticism: Voltaire's scepticism was influenced by Renaissance thinkers like Montaigne and Bayle, rejecting dogmatic systems and emphasizing empirical evidence and critical reasoning. He challenged traditional philosophical accounts that relied on abstract reasoning without empirical support, advocating for a more empirical approach grounded in observable facts.
• Newtonian Empirical Science: Voltaire was a strong advocate of Newtonian epistemology, which prioritized empirical evidence over speculative metaphysics. He defended empirical science against metaphysical speculation, arguing for a rigorous scientific approach based on observable phenomena. Voltaire's support for empirical science contributed to the wider acceptance of Newtonian principles and influenced Enlightenment thought on the relationship between science and philosophy.
• Science without Metaphysics: Voltaire's criticism of metaphysics and his promotion of empirical science align with Enlightenment trends that sought to eliminate speculative reasoning and focus on empirical rigour. His works contributed to a philosophical tradition emphasizing positivism and scientific method, influencing subsequent thinkers who prioritized empirical evidence and critical inquiry over metaphysical speculation.

Voltaire's Enlightenment philosophy encompassed liberty, hedonism, scepticism, Newtonian empiricism, and a rejection of metaphysical speculation. His ideas and activism shaped Enlightenment thought and contributed to broader philosophical discussions on freedom, reason, and the scientific method.