The Dialogues of Euhemerus

· The Collected Works of Voltaire Buch 9 · Marchen Press
E-Book
162
Seiten
Zulässig
Bewertungen und Rezensionen werden nicht geprüft  Weitere Informationen

Über dieses E-Book

In the winter of his life, at 83 years old, Voltaire orchestrated a final Socratic conversation that became his philosophical swan song. The Dialogues of Euhemerus (1777) brings a Stoic sage and an Epicurean free-thinker face to face in ancient Alexandria, but make no mistake – their debate about gods, nature, and knowledge is Voltaire’s last word to the world, a fearless Enlightenment finale.

Completed near the end of his life, Les Dialogues d’Evhémère synthesizes decades of reflection into a lively philosophical dialogue. The setting is imagined antiquity: Voltaire revives Euhemerus, a real Greek philosopher from Alexander the Great’s time, famed for his theory that the gods of mythology were originally just extraordinary humans later deified. He pairs Euhemerus with an interlocutor named Callicrates, an Epicurean philosopher from the 3rd century B.C., whom Voltaire portrays as an outspoken atheist-materialist. Over the course of twelve dialogues, these two debate a vast panorama of topics. In the early dialogues, they tackle metaphysical questions: Does a providential God exist, or are the gods of popular religion merely fables? What is the soul, and do we have evidence of its immortality? Why does evil exist, if any gods are just? Euhemerus, the traveler and Stoic, shares worldly observations and a deistic inclination – he suspects there is a higher principle, but nothing like the fantastical gods of Olympus – while Callicrates presses a more skeptical, even atheistic line, questioning whether any divine being is needed to explain the universe.

This modern Critical Reader’s Edition includes an illuminating afterword tracing Voltaire’s intellectual relationships with Enlightenment thinkers and philosophers (including Locke, Diderot, Rousseau and Newton), containing unique research into his influences and economic attachments, a comprehensive timeline of his life and works, a glossary of Enlightenment terminology, and a detailed index of all of Voltaire’s writings. This unique professional translation renders Voltaire’s sharp, satirical prose into modern language to preserve the original clarity and movement of the text. Combined with the scholarly amplifying material, this edition is a groundbreaking exploration of Voltaire’s classic works and his enduring artistic and philosophical influence, and influence on modern Protestant-Atheistic Theology.

Autoren-Profil

Voltaire (1694-1778), born François-Marie Arouet, was a towering figure in the European Enlightenment, renowned for his wit, satirical genius, and fierce advocacy of civil liberties, including freedom of religion and free trade. Born on November 21, 1694, in Paris, Voltaire was educated by the Jesuits at the Collège Louis-le-Grand, where he demonstrated an early talent in literature and theater. Despite a brief stint studying law, he devoted himself to writing, rapidly gaining fame for his sharp wit and eloquence. Voltaire's literary career was marked by numerous conflicts with French authorities, leading to periods of imprisonment and exile. His most famous stay at the Bastille prison was due to his satirical verse, which mocked the French Regent. This propensity for critique often saw him in conflict with the establishment, but it also earned him a reputation as a champion of the oppressed and a critic of religious and political dogma, including the Atheistic dogmatism of the French Revolution.

Dieses E-Book bewerten

Deine Meinung ist gefragt!

Informationen zum Lesen

Smartphones und Tablets
Nachdem du die Google Play Bücher App für Android und iPad/iPhone installiert hast, wird diese automatisch mit deinem Konto synchronisiert, sodass du auch unterwegs online und offline lesen kannst.
Laptops und Computer
Im Webbrowser auf deinem Computer kannst du dir Hörbucher anhören, die du bei Google Play gekauft hast.
E-Reader und andere Geräte
Wenn du Bücher auf E-Ink-Geräten lesen möchtest, beispielsweise auf einem Kobo eReader, lade eine Datei herunter und übertrage sie auf dein Gerät. Eine ausführliche Anleitung zum Übertragen der Dateien auf unterstützte E-Reader findest du in der Hilfe.