The Enlightenment, arguably, indelibly transformed the world’s intellectual and moral landscape. At Five Books, we have a range of interviews recommending books on the origins of the Enlightenment, on its development as a movement, and on its most famous individuals.
Professor Sophie Gee of Princeton University discusses books that illustrate what the Enlightenment meant not only intellectually, but also culturally. Science writer Philip Ball looks at the origins of curiosity, discussing the conditions persisting in the 16th and 17th century that allowed for the birth of modern science. Jonathan Israel, author of a magisterial history of the Enlightenment, chooses five books that together provide a balanced view of the Enlightenment, in all its diversity.
Turning to books on individual titans of the Enlightenment, Nicholas Cronk, director of the Voltaire Foundation at Oxford, chooses his best books on Voltaire, and explains why he was such an iconic figure of the Enlightenment, even if not among its great philosophers. Professor Simon Blackburn of Cambridge talks about Hume, while Professor Adrian Moore of Oxford talks about Kant, whom he judges to be the greatest ever philosopher. Both Blackburn and Moore choose Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason as one of their five books—Blackburn because he sees it as an attempt to get to grips with problems thrown up by Hume. Professor Chris Bertram of Bristol University chooses his best books on Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
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1
Voltaire Almighty: A Life in Pursuit of Freedom
by Roger Pearson -
2
A Pocket Philosophical Dictionary
by John Fletcher (translator) & Voltaire -
3
The Newton Wars and the Beginning of the French Enlightenment
by J. B. Shank -
4
Candide
by Roger Pearson (translator) & Voltaire -
5
Reinventing Voltaire: The Politics of Commemoration in Nineteenth-Century France
by Stephen Bird
The Best Voltaire Books, recommended by Nicholas Cronk
The Best Voltaire Books, recommended by Nicholas Cronk
The eighteenth-century philosopher wielded his powers of ridicule and witticism against religious fanatics—but always championed free speech and religious toleration. He was also a historian, scientist, poet, playwright, and political activist. Nicholas Cronk, General Editor of the Complete Works of Voltaire gives a detailed look at the polymathic philosophe.
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1
The Crisis of the European Mind
by Paul Hazard -
2
The Enlightenment in America
by Henry May -
3
The Enlightenment and the Intellectual Foundations of Modern Culture
by Louis Dupré -
4
The Religious Enlightenment
by David Sorkin -
5
Democratic Enlightenment: Philosophy, Revolution, and Human Rights, 1750-1790
by Jonathan Israel
The best books on The Enlightenment, recommended by Jonathan Israel
The best books on The Enlightenment, recommended by Jonathan Israel
Which are the best books on the Enlightenment? Jonathan Israel, one of the leading historians of early modern Europe, recommends his top five.
The Best Immanuel Kant Books, recommended by Adrian Moore
Immanuel Kant was born in Königsberg, lived in Königsberg, and never travelled very far from Königsberg—but his mind ranged across vast territories, says Oxford philosophy professor, Adrian Moore. He selects five key texts for coming to grips with the work of “the greatest philosopher of all time.”
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1
Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Restless Genius
by Leo Damrosch -
2
Reading Rousseau in the Nuclear Age
by Grace Roosevelt -
3
Rousseau: An Introduction to His Psychological, Social and Political Theory
by N J H Dent -
4
Rousseau, the Age of Enlightenment, and Their Legacies
by Robert Wokler -
5
Rousseau’s Critique of Inequality
by Frederick Neuhouser
The best books on Jean-Jacques Rousseau, recommended by Chris Bertram
The best books on Jean-Jacques Rousseau, recommended by Chris Bertram
The 18th century composer, writer and philosopher spent his latter years “alone upon the earth, having no brother, or neighbour, or friend, or society but myself”. But he only had himself to blame, says philosophy professor and Rousseau scholar Chris Bertram. Here, he chooses the best five books on this complex man’s life and work.
The best books on David Hume, recommended by Simon Blackburn
Hume had a message he wanted to get out — particularly as regards skepticism about religion — but he was no proto-Richard Dawkins, says Cambridge philosopher, Simon Blackburn. He chooses the best books on (or by) David Hume.
The best books on The Origins of Curiosity, recommended by Philip Ball
Modern science emerged only when it became acceptable to ask any question about anything – and that required erosion of traditional hierarchies, says the science writer
The best books on The Enlightenment, recommended by Sophie Gee
The author of The Scandal of the Season – and Princeton University professor – gives an 18th century literature specialist’s view of the Enlightenment.