A Little History of Philosophy (Little Histories)

by Nigel Warburton

François-Marie Arouet (1694–1778), better known as Voltaire, didn't see it this way. He took no comfort at all from this ‘proof’ that everything is going well. He was deeply suspicious of philosophical systems and the kind of thinkers who believe they have all the answers. This French playwright, satirist, fiction writer and thinker was well known throughout Europe for his outspoken views. The most famous sculpture of him, by Jean-Antoine Houdon, captures the tight-lipped smile and laughter lines of this witty, brave man. A champion of free speech and religious toleration, he was a controversial figure. He is, for instance, supposed to have declared, ‘I hate what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it’, a powerful defence of the idea that even views that you despise deserve to be heard.