Denis Diderot
Denis Diderot
Denis Diderotʁo]; 5 October 1713 – 31 July 1784) was a French philosopher, art critic, and writer. He was a prominent figure during the Enlightenment and is best known for serving as co-founder, chief editor, and contributor to the Encyclopédie along with Jean le Rond d'Alembert...
ProfessionPhilosopher
Date of Birth5 October 1713
knowledge mean reflection
There are three principal means of acquiring knowledge... observation of nature, reflection, and experimentation. Observation collects facts; reflection combines them; experimentation verifies the result of that combination.
acquiring available collects creative geniuses knowledge means nature principal rarely reflection result three
There are three principal means of acquiring knowledge available to us: observation of nature, reflection, and experimentation. Observation collects facts; reflection combines them; experimentation verifies the result of that combination. Our observation of nature must be diligent, our reflection profound, and our experiments exact. We rarely see these three means combined; and for this reason, creative geniuses are not common.
earth schools temples theology
See this egg. It is with this that all the schools of theology and all the temples of the earth are to be overturned.
disorder gaiety genius ordinary quality
Gaiety - a quality of ordinary men. Genius always presupposes some disorder in the machine.
force quotes sentences sharp truth
Sentences are like sharp nails, which force truth upon our memories.
duty speak
To do his duty somehow, always to speak well of the Prior, and let the world go its own way.
people lovers sexuality
The best mannered people make the most absurd lovers.
capable claims conclusion draw matter order organized prefer takes therefore wants
Descartes said: "I think, therefore I am." Helvetius wants to say: "I feel, therefore I want to feel pleasantly." I prefer Hobbes who claims that in order to draw a conclusion which takes us somewhere, we must say, "I feel, I think, I judge; therefore, a part of organized matter like me is capable of feeling, thinking, and judging.
best doctor run
The best doctor is the one you run for and can't find
art business chief close move touch
it is the chief business of art to touch and to move and to do this by getting close to 'nature.'
beautiful stupid crazy
The wisest among us is very lucky never to have met the woman, be she beautiful or ugly, intelligent or stupid, who could drive him crazy enough to be fit to be put into an asylum.
running law long
The decisions of law courts should never be printed: in the long run, they form a counter authority to the law.
witty character giving
Il ne faut point donner d'esprit a' ses personnages; mais savoir les placer dans des circonstances qui leur en donnent. You should not give wit to your characters, but know instead how to put them in situations which will make them witty.
truth looks expected
I can be expected to look for truth but not to find it.