Initially brought to life as Diderot’s whipping boy, the character of Rameau (referred to as Lui or Him in the dialogue) ultimately became a strident voice for the philosophe’s most nagging doubts. By the time Diderot finished this curious book, he knew he had achieved something monumental. In addition to creating a new type of literature that allowed him to interrogate his deepest beliefs, he had also shown that philosophy could be much more than a positive set of ideas. It could come alive, twist itself, contain the roots of its own contradiction, and be a vehicle for rendering the
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