Scepticism is the first step towards truth.
— Pensées philosophiques
Denis Diderot was a French philosopher, art critic and writer of the Enlightenment, best known as co-founder and chief editor of the Encyclopédie. Begun in 1751 with Jean le Rond d'Alembert, it gathered articles from many named contributors and was the first encyclopedia to describe the mechanical arts.
Its secular tone, including doubts about Biblical miracles, led the Church and then the French government to ban it, and many contributors left. Diderot carried on as sole editor and wrote about 7,000 articles himself. Short of money for most of his life, he was rescued when Catherine the Great bought his library and paid him to keep it. Several of his best works, including Rameau's Nephew, appeared only after his death.
Its secular tone, including doubts about Biblical miracles, led the Church and then the French government to ban it, and many contributors left. Diderot carried on as sole editor and wrote about 7,000 articles himself. Short of money for most of his life, he was rescued when Catherine the Great bought his library and paid him to keep it. Several of his best works, including Rameau's Nephew, appeared only after his death.
One swallows the lie that flatters, but sips the bitter truth drop by drop.
— Rameau's Nephew / D'Alembert's Dream
How had they met? By chance, like everybody else. What were there names? What's it to you? Where were they coming from? From the nearest place. Where were they going? Does anyone really know where they're going?
All things must be examined, debated, investigated without exception and without regard for anyone's feelings.
Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest.
Do you see this egg? With this you can topple every theological theory, every church or temple in the world.
Only passions, great passions, can elevate the soul to great things.
The most dangerous madmen are those created by religion, and ... people whose aim is to disrupt society always know how to make good use of them on occasion.
If you want me to believe in God, you must make me touch him.
People stop thinking when they cease to read.