Denis Diderot Died On This Day in 1784

 

Statue of Denis Diderot in Paris

On this day in 1784, Denis Diderot died in Paris. He was 70 years old, and had been the author of the Encyclopédie.

French philosopher Denis Diderot was a major figure of the Enlightenment. Often, he is considered in the same manner as other famous French writers of the time, Voltaire and Jean Jacques Rousseau. Diderot was the author of the Encyclopédie, in which he collaborated with Jean le Rond d'Alembert. The Encyclopédie was hugely influential, and considered a major influence on the French Revolution.

Despite being a rival of sorts at the time, Rousseau nonetheless predicted that given the passing of a few centuries, Diderot would likely be honored and revered in a similar manner as Plato and Socrates. He was hugely influential to many other great writers and thinkers, including Goethe.

It seemed appropriate on this day to honor his memory, and the contributions to the advancement of human knowledge which he had no small part of.

Statue of Denis Diderot in Paris

Memorial to Diderot in the Pantheon in Paris, although he is not actually buried there.