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How Did Voltaire Contribute To The Enlightenment

302 Words2 Pages

Page 505 tells how Montesquieu brought a voice for religious toleration and denunciation of slavery. He was a French noble who studied law and felt strongly on the subject of traditional religion being unjust. Voltaire was a middle class French man, who according to page 507, won fame for his plays. The book declares Voltaire the greatest mind of the Enlightenment for his works against royal absolutism and his beliefs in freedom of thought and religious tolerance. Diderot's main contribution to the Enlightenment was his twenty eight volume encyclopedia set about science, art, and trade. Page 509 says that many philosophers used his work to help them advocate for religious tolerance. His encyclopedia is considered a major weapon of the Enlightenment.

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