A “classical” materialism - Voltaire and his Letter on Locke

• Journal: Libertinage et philosophie à l’époque classique (xvi^e-xviii^e siècle)
  2021, n° 18. ­L’usage de la métaphysique chez les matérialistes des xvi^e, xvii^e et xviii^e siècles
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• Abstract: Voltaire reads Locke through Bayle's spectacles. The materialism in the Lettre sur Locke is founded on Descartes's Meditations and Mersenne's objections as presented by Bayle and Bayle's conclusions are then allied with the principles of Newton's empiricism and with Locke's declaration on our ignorance of the nature of substances: Voltaire then declares, not without reason, that his materialism is «what Locke really thought but didn't dare to say».
• Number of pages: 408
• ISBN: 978-2-406-12209-8
• ISSN: 2649-1826
• DOI: 10.48611/isbn.978-2-406-12209-8.p.0251
• Publisher: Classiques Garnier
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• Keyword: soul, materialism, animals, Locke, Newton, Descartes, Mersenne, Bayle, Toland

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