The Ignorant Philosopher

In a paradox as daring as any of his satires, Voltaire – the era’s most celebrated sage – here proclaims himself the ignorant philosopher. What unfolds is anything but ignorant: a playful, penetrating journey through the limits of human understanding, delivered with the sly humility of a genius who feigns naïveté only to better illuminate the truth.

Published in 1766 under the French title Le Philosophe ignorant, The Ignorant Philosopher is a compact philosophical tale that finds Voltaire in an introspective, questioning mood. Framed as a first-person confession by an old wise man who insists he knows almost nothing, this work allows Voltaire to explore grand questions of God, knowledge, morality, and the nature of existence with disarming simplicity. The narrative voice – by turns curious, skeptical, and wry – mimics René Descartes’ method of systematic doubt, yet Voltaire’s touch is lighter and more ironic. In a series of short chapters or dialogues, the “ignorant” narrator examines what can truly be known about the world and confronts the fallacies of learned philosophers and theologians alike. Voltaire wrote and even printed this work in both French and English to ensure its ideas reached a broad audience, an unusual step that underscores the importance he placed on its message. Despite its modest length, the book ranges over fundamental issues – the existence of God, the problem of evil, the soul’s immortality – all through the guise of a wise man professing his own ignorance as a starting point for wisdom.

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.