Denis Diderot
“Pantophile” /
(Library of Congress)
Born: October 5, 1713 Died: July 31, 1784
Studied with Jesuits as a child
Moved to Paris at age 16
Angered his father because he wouldn’t become a lawyer
French Philosopher and thinker
Inspiration for his writing
  • Worked as a translator from English
  • Master of Arts in Philosophy
  • “In an age of famous letter writing, he was unexcelled in his correspondence.” (Roberts)
  • Spent early days in coffee shops
  • His ideas were “rooted in materialism that provided the foundations both for his theory of psychology and for his concepts in aesthetics. (Reill and Wilson)

In some his later books, he “slowly turned from theism to atheism.” (Diderot) / Later in Life
  • Sold his library to Catherine the Great of Russia
Went into semi-retirement
EncyclopédieCreated the First Encyclopedia
1752: Temporarily suspended
1759: Officially banned
Goal of the Encyclopedia:1765: Allowed again
"to assemble the knowledge scattered over the face of the earth; to explain its general plan to the men with whom we live ... so that we may not die without having deserved well of the human race.” (Encyclopedia of World Biography)

"If you impose silence on me about religion and government, I shall have nothing to talk about" (Encyclopedia of World Biography)

After the Renaissance, there were many who were threatened by changes in the role of the Catholic Church and government. Diderot suggests that those who were afraid of discussing further change were limiting his very ability to contribute to the new Enlightenment age.

Works Cited

"Diderot, Denis (1713-1784)." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1998.

Reill, Peter Hanns, and Ellen Judy Wilson. "Diderot, Denis." Encyclopedia of the Enlightenment, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2004. Modern World History Online. (accessed Nov.14,2011).

Roberts, William J. "Diderot, Denis." France: A Reference Guide from the Renaissance to the Present, European Nations. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2004. Modern World History Online. (accessed Nov.16,2011).

Image Citation

"Diderot, Denis." Library of Congress.Prints and Photographs Division.Fine Prints Collection.Modern World History Online.Facts On File, Inc.
ItemID=WE53&iPin=WHI0098&SingleRecord=True(accessed November16,2011).