Voltaire against Atheism and Himself (1761-1770)

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to show that the polemic around atheism, which occurred in the 1760s between Voltaire and the coterie holbachique pushed the French philosopher to subscribe to ideas whose connection with the rest of his work and with the fight that was taking place in those years in favor of tolerance is problematic. This clarifies the striking position adopted by Voltaire regarding the dissolution of the Society of Jesus in 1764. On the other hand, the work sheds lights on the scope of the epistemological revolution that the philosopher intended to generate in the field of historiography.