Voltaire

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Voltaire

Voltaire (pronounced: /vɒlˈtɛər/), born as François-Marie Arouet (21 November 1694 – 30 May 1778), was a French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher famous for his wit, his criticism of Christianity, especially the Roman Catholic Church, and his advocacy of freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and separation of church and state.

Etymology

The name "Voltaire", which the author adopted in 1718, is an anagram of "AROVET LI," the Latinized spelling of his surname, Arouet, and the initial letters of "le jeune" ("the young"). The name also echoes in reverse order the syllables of the name of a family château in the Poitou region: "Airvault". The adoption of the name "Voltaire" following his incarceration at the Bastille is seen by many to mark Voltaire's formal separation from his family and his past.

Related Terms

  • Enlightenment: The intellectual and philosophical movement that dominated the world of ideas in Europe during the 17th to 19th century.
  • Philosophy: The study of fundamental questions about existence, reality, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and ethics.
  • Freedom of Speech: The right to express any opinions without censorship or restraint.
  • Freedom of Religion: The right to practice whatever religion one chooses.
  • Separation of Church and State: The distance in the relationship between organized religion and the nation state.

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