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code = French Philosopher and Writer = = Voltaire = (1694-1778)

"If this is the best of all possible worlds, what are the others?"
= [TIME OF WRITING: The Enlightenment (18th century) ] =

In Europe, a birth of new thoughts and ideas, known as the Enlightenment, was responsible for creating some of today's most recognized thinkers and philosophers; Voltaire being among them. The Enlightenment is best remembered for its questioning of society, religion, and morals which sparked controversy throughout Europe.

[ The Thinkers ]:

 * __John Locke__ :**

"“All mankind... being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty or possessions.”

Famous for his radical views on human nature and government, Locke believed that an effective government relied on rebellion. He also believed that the government should protect the three basic rights of every human being (life, liberty, and the ownership of property. ~ **Two Treatises of Government.**


 * __Thomas Hobbes :__[[image:thomas_hobbes.gif width="169" height="180" align="right" caption="Thomas Hobbes"]]**

" All mankind [is in] a perpetual and restless desire for power...that [stops] only in death."

Hobbes, a political thinker, believed that humans are selfish beings who act on selfish impulses to gain power. He also believed the same of countries. His views on government centered around the belief that government was set up to protect humans from their own selfish actions. He did not agree with ideas of a democratic society because he believed that humans would only choose a leader based on selfish thoughts. Different from Locke's views?

[|Enlightenment Video] Video: 10:34- 12:34

With a partner please: -Answer " Voltaire Discussion 1" question located in the Discussion tab at the top of this page. -Please follow the directions in the discussion. Be prepared to discuss your answers out loud!
 * Partner Assignment**

= [ The Life of Voltaire ] =

Born Francois-Marie Arouet in 1694, Voltaire's future as a writer was initially crushed by his family, who insisted he follow in family footsteps and study law. His father sent him to France as a young man in the hopes of destroying his passion for writing.
 * [ Early Life ]: [[image:voltaireyyy.jpg align="right"]]**

Francois studied law from 1711 to 1713 at the Collège Louis-le-Grand in France before working as a secretary to the French ambassador in Holland. During his time working for the French ambassador, Francois began to write vehemently about the French government and the Catholic Church. His writings irked the French government and he was exiled from France in 1717. Voltaire continued to write critiques of government and society. After being imprisoned in the Bastille for 11 months for attacking aristocracy in an essay, Voltaire released his first popular work, //Oedipe//**,** in 1719. This play increased the popularity of his work and from it, Voltaire gained great wealth. Voltaire (by now he had taken up the more catchy pen name), was often banished or exiled due to his controversial writings. During 1726 and 1729, Voltaire lived in England, having been exiled again from France. It was here he wrote a few works in English including //Essay Upon Epic Poetry// and //Essay Upon Civil Wars in France//, which were published in 1727. In 1734, after returning to France, Voltaire wrote //The Philosophical Letters// which compared the French and English systems of Government. The book was banned in France for criticizing the government and Voltaire gained more followers who shared his beliefs.

When he was 39, Voltaire spent much of his time with a woman named Mme du Châtelet, who he said "shared his views". Between 1733 and 1746, Voltaire was an ambassador spy in Prussia, lived in Holland, worked for King Loius XV, and in 1746, was elected to the French Academy.

For the rest of his life, Voltaire resided in Switzerland and made frequent trips to France. It was during this time when he wrote //Candide, ou l'Optimisme,// perhaps one of his most well known works. Voltaire died in Paris on May 30, 1778. he is remember as one of the greatest leaders of the Age of Enlightenment, his book, //Candide,// his most famous and most controversial. [|Candide, ou l'Optimisme]


 * [ Voltaire's Beliefs ]:**

"What is faith? Is it to believe that which is evident? No. It is perfectly evident to my mind that there exists a neccessary, eternal, supreme, and intelligent being . This is no matter of faith, but of reason."

Voltaire used satirical writing styles to emphasize the fact that a Utopian society could not exist. Voltaire, a deist, believed that reason and nature served as explanations of the universe. He believed that strict faiths and organized religions were not neccessary to explain the workings of God. In //Candide// he explains these beliefs using satire to mock common beliefs that everything is good because God is good. To Voltaire, everything in the world was not for the best, and could simply be explained through nature and reason. Politically, Voltaire, like Hobbes, was not a proponent of democracy. He believed it was a way in which the foolish were given a way to rule. His views on democracy are shown in some of his works such as //Philosophical Letters// and //Dictionnaire Philosophique.//

"No one can hold office in England or in Ireland unless he is a faithful Anglican." (p22) -//Philosophical Letters//  
 * Partner Assignment**

With a partner, please do ONE of the following:

1.Choose one of the following works by Voltaire and visit the corresponding website. Read a little about the work then post in the discussion tab what you believe to be the author's motivations for writing it. What was he trying to tell his audiences? Was this work accepted in society? Be prepared to discuss.

I.[| //Zadig//] 2. "[|The Maid of Orleans"] 3. //Candide// //4.// Dictionnaire Philosophique

2. Visit the following website and choose 2 quotes by Voltaire. Explain in the discussion tab how the quote hints at Voltaire's beliefs of society, religion, government...etc.

[|Read Print Quotes]

Below is a video of //Candide// turned musical. It emphasizes Voltaire's beliefs regarding a Utopian society. (watch until 3:20)
 * Final Visual Presentation:**

media type="custom" key="4320225"

// All About the Enlightenment: The Age of Reason //. Dir. How Stuff Works. //All About the Enlightenment: The Age of Reason//. How Stuff Works- Video Center, 2008. Web. 2 Sept. 2009. . // Bastille. jpg. // Photograph // Candide Live on Broadway- part 1/12 //. Perf. Paul Groves and Kristin Chenoweth. //Candide Live on Broadway//. ALYSSZ, 2008. Web. Sept. 2009. . // Candide Live on Broadway -Part 2/12 //. Perf. Paul Groves and Kristin Chenoweth. //Candide Live on Broadway//. ALYSSZ, 2008. Web. 2 Sept. 2009. .

// Hobbes_anim.gif. // Photograph How Stuff Works. "All About the Enlightenment: The Age of Reason." //All About the Enlightenment//. How Stuff Works- Video Center, 2008. Web. 2 Sept. 2009. . // John_Locke. jpg //. Photograph.

Lucid Cafe. "Voltaire." //Voltaire//. Lucid Cafe, 6 Nov. 2008. Web. 3 Sept. 2009. .

"Philosophical Letters- Voltaire." //Troynovant//. Troynovant, 2008. Web. 2009. . Read Print. "Francois-Marie Arouet Voltaire." //Francois-Marie Arouet Voltaire//. Read Print, 2008. Web. 3 Sept. 2009. . // Resume De Candide //. Dir. Oceanne17. // Resume De Candide //. Oceanne17, Feb. 2008. Web. 5 Sept. 2009. .

Santoro, Gene. "William Goetzmann: how did Utopian thinkers like Thomas Paine create a can- do America?(Dialogue) (Interview)." American History 44.3 (August 2009): 16(2). General OneFile. Gale. Fredericksburg Academy. 5 Sept. 2009 .

Think Exist. "John Locke Quotes." //John Locke Quotes//. Think Exist, 2008. Web. 6 Sept. 2009. .

"Thomas Hobbes: A Short Biography." //Thomas Hobbes: A Short Biography//. RJGEIB, 2008. Web. 2 Sept. 2009. . " Voltaire." Gale Online Encyclopedia. Detroit: Gale, Literature Resource Center. Gale. Central Rappahannock Regional Library. 6 Sept. 2009 . // Voltaire. jpg. // Photograph