Voltaire
Voltaire
François-Marie Arouet, known by his nom de plume Voltaire, was a French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher famous for his wit, his attacks on the established Catholic Church, and his advocacy of freedom of religion, freedom of expression, and separation of church and state...
NationalityFrench
ProfessionHistorian
Date of Birth21 November 1694
CityParis, France
CountryFrance
art philosophical believe
I believe that there never was a creator of a philosophical system who did not confess at the end of his life that he had wasted his time. It must be admitted that the inventors of the mechanical arts have been much more useful to men that the inventors of syllogisms. He who imagined a ship towers considerably above him who imagined innate ideas.
believe proof interest
The interest I have to believe a thing is no proof that such a thing exists.
reason destined
Many are destined to reason wrongly; others, not to reason at all; and others, to persecute those who do reason.
death loyal patriot
He was a great patriot, a humanitarian, a loyal friend; provided, of course, he really is dead.
abuse reform dangerous
Every abuse ought to be reformed, unless the reform is more dangerous than the abuse itself.