The Philosophy of History

Voltaire

• Publisher: Philosophical Library/Open Road
• Year: 2022
• ISBN:
  9781504074711
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: French History
• Index: History

The great Enlightenment thinker shares his views on the nature and practice of history in this fascinating critique of historical narratives. In The Philosophy of History, Voltaire present a radical reinterpretation of the moral, aesthetic, and religious views and the customs and practices that prevailed in ancient civilizations. His critique touches on a range of topics, from cultures across the globe to legislators who spoke in the name of the gods. This enthralling essay is an essential read for scholars and students of the Enlightenment. This ebook is derived from the original edition published in 1776, with a preface by Thomas Kiernan.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Dedication
• EDITOR’S PREFACE
• Contents
• I - INTRODUCTION
• II - OF THE DIFFERENT RACES OF MEN
• III - OF THE ANTIQUITY OF NATIONS
• IV - OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SOUL
• V - OF THE RELIGION OF THE FIRST MEN
• VI - OF THE CUSTOMS AND OPINIONS OF ALL THE ANCIENT NATIONS
• VII - OF SAVAGES
• VIII - OF AMERICA
• IX - OF THE THEOCRACY
• X - OF THE CHALDEANS
• XI - OF THE BABYLONIANS BECOME PERSIANS
• XII - OF SYRIA
• XIII - OF THE PHOENICIANS AND SANCHONIATON
• XIV - OF THE SCYTHIANS AND GOMERANS
• XV - OF ARABIA
• XVI - OF BRAM, ABRAM, OR ABRAHAM
• XVII - OF INDIA
• XVIII - OF CHINA
• XIX - OF EGYPT
• XX - OF THE LANGUAGE OF THE EGYPTIANS, AND THEIR SYMBOLS
• XXI - OF THE MONUMENTS OF THE EGYPTIANS
• XXII - OF THE EGYPTIAN RITES, AND CIRCUMCISION
• XXIII - OF THE MYSTERIES OF THE EGYPTIANS
• XXIV - OF THE GREEKS; OF THEIR ANCIENT DELUGES; OF THEIR ALPHABET, AND THEIR GENIUS
• XXV - OF THE GREEK LEGISLATORS, OF MINOS AND ORPHEUS, AND OF THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL
• XXVI - OF THE SECTS AMONGST THE GREEKS
• XXVII - OF ZALEUCUS, AND SOME OTHER LEGISLATORS
• XXVIII - OF BACCHUS
• XXIX - OF THE METAMORPHOSES AMONGST THE GREEKS, COLLECTED BY OVID
• XXX - OF IDOLATRY
• XXXI - OF ORACLES
• XXXII - OF THE SIBYLS AMONGST THE GREEKS, AND OF THEIR INFLUENCE UPON OTHER NATIONS
• XXXIII - OF MIRACLES
• XXXIV - OF THE TEMPLES
• XXXV - OF MAGIC
• XXXVI - OF HUMAN VICTIMS
• XXXVII - OF THE MYSTERIES OF ELEUSINIA CERES
• XXXVIII - OF THE JEWS, AT THE TIME THEY BEGAN TO BE KNOWN
• XXXIX - OF THE JEWS IN EGYPT
• XL - OF MOSES, CONSIDERED ONLY AS THE CHIEF OF A NATION
• XLI - OF THE JEWS AFTER MOSES, TILL THE TIME OF SAUL
• XLII - OF THE JEWS AFTER SAUL
• XLIII - OF THE JEWISH PROPHETS
• XLIV - OF THE PRAYERS OF THE JEWS
• XLV - OF JOSEPHUS, THE JEWISH HISTORIAN
• XLVI - OF A FALSEHOOD OF FLAVIAN JOSEPHUS, RELATING TO ALEXANDER AND THE JEWS
• XLVII - OF POPULAR PREJUDICE TO WHICH THE SACRED WRITERS HAVE DEIGNED TO CONFORM THROUGH CONDESCENSION
• XLVIII - OF ANGELS, GENII, AND DEVILS OF THE ANCIENT NATIONS, AND AMONGST THE JEWS
• XLIX - WHETHER THE JEWS TAUGHT OTHER NATIONS, OR WHETHER THEY WERE TAUGHT BY THEM
• L - OF THE ROMANS; THE BEGINNING OF THEIR EMPIRE AND THEIR RELIGION; THEIR TOLERATION
• LI - QUESTIONS UPON THE CONQUESTS OF THE ROMANS, AND THEIR DECAY
• LII - OF THE PEOPLE WHO WROTE HISTORY, AND OF THE FABLES OF THE FIRST HISTORIANS
• LIII - OF THE LEGISLATORS WHO HAVE SPOKEN IN THE NAME OF THE GODS
• Notes
• About the Author
• Copyright Page