On November 3, 1749, Denis Diderot emerged from a dungeon near Paris. He had been imprisoned by royal decree for an essay that discussed a philosopher’s denial of God on his deathbed. To gain his freedom, Diderot promised to refrain from writing such controversial material again. However, he soon resumed work on an even more ambitious and contentious project.
In 1745, publisher André le Breton hired Diderot to adapt an English cyclopedia—a universal dictionary of arts and sciences—for French readers. At the time, Diderot was a struggling writer who earned a living through translation, tutoring, and even writing sermons and a risqué novel. Le Breton paired him with Jean le Rond d’Alembert, a mathematical genius who had been abandoned as a baby on a church doorstep.
While technical dictionaries existed, no one had attempted to compile all human knowledge into a single publication. Diderot and d’Alembert aimed to do just that, rallying the brightest minds of the French Enlightenment to create the first encyclopedia—a rational dictionary of the arts, sciences, and crafts. This monumental work eventually included over 70,000 entries and 20 million words across 35 volumes, compiled over three decades of intense research, writing, and collaboration.
To structure the encyclopedia, Diderot adapted Francis Bacon’s “Classification of Knowledge” into a three-part system based on the mind’s approaches to reality: memory, reason, and imagination. He emphasized the importance of commerce, technology, and crafts, often visiting workshops to observe the tools and techniques used by Parisian workers.
Nearly 150 contributors participated in the project, including notable figures like Jean Jacques Rousseau, who wrote much of the music section in just three months without payment. His entry on political economy contained ideas he would later expand upon in “The Social Contract.” D’Alembert authored the famous preliminary discourse, a key statement of the French Enlightenment advocating for independent reasoning as a means to progress. Louis de Jaucourt contributed a staggering 18,000 articles, totaling 5 million words, also without compensation.
Diderot’s entries sometimes reflected his personal views. For example, in “Political Authority,” he criticized the divine right of kings and argued for minimal wealth disparity as a strength of the state. This perspective was unsurprising from someone who often wrote about resisting oppressive authority.
The encyclopedia faced significant opposition from the monarchy and the church. After the release of the first two volumes, King Louis XV banned the entire work, although he kept a copy for himself. Pope Clement XIII condemned it as “dangerous” and “reprehensible,” demanding its destruction and Diderot’s arrest. Despite these threats, Diderot managed to evade censorship by smuggling proofs out of France for publication and receiving help from allies within the French regime, such as Madame de Pompadour and the royal librarian, Malesherbes, who provided warnings about impending raids and even sheltered Diderot’s papers.
Despite these efforts, Diderot faced numerous challenges. D’Alembert withdrew from the project, Rousseau ended their friendship over a disagreement, and Diderot’s publisher secretly edited some proofs to make them less radical. The uncensored pages eventually resurfaced in Russia in 1933, long after Diderot had considered the work complete and passed away.
The encyclopedia Diderot left behind is many things: a cornerstone of the Enlightenment, a reflection of France’s crisis of authority, and evidence of the shift in public opinion from religious institutions to cafes, salons, and the press. It even includes recipes. Most importantly, it is a testament to the human experience, as illustrated by Diderot’s entry on a plant named aguaxima. Reading it aloud, preferably with a French accent, is highly encouraged.
Choose one of the key contributors to Diderot’s encyclopedia, such as Jean Jacques Rousseau or Louis de Jaucourt. Conduct in-depth research on their contributions to the encyclopedia and their broader impact on the Enlightenment. Prepare a presentation to share your findings with the class, highlighting how their work influenced the encyclopedia and the intellectual landscape of the time.
Engage in a structured debate on the topic of censorship and its impact on the dissemination of knowledge. Consider the challenges Diderot faced from the monarchy and the church. Discuss whether censorship can ever be justified and how it affects the progress of society. Prepare arguments for both sides and participate in a lively discussion with your peers.
Work in groups to create a modern encyclopedia entry on a contemporary topic of your choice. Use Diderot’s approach of combining memory, reason, and imagination to structure your entry. Focus on clarity, depth, and accessibility of information. Present your entry to the class and discuss the challenges and insights gained from the process.
Organize a field trip to a local workshop, factory, or artisan studio to observe modern crafts and technologies. Reflect on Diderot’s emphasis on commerce, technology, and crafts in the encyclopedia. Document your observations and compare them to the descriptions found in the encyclopedia. Share your insights in a written report or a class discussion.
Write a creative piece imagining a day in the life of Denis Diderot during the creation of the encyclopedia. Consider the challenges he faced, his interactions with contributors, and his personal reflections. Use historical context to enrich your narrative and share your story with the class to explore the human side of this monumental project.
Denis Diderot left a dungeon outside Paris on November 3, 1749. He had previously faced public censorship for his writing, but this time, he was imprisoned under royal order for an essay discussing a philosopher’s rejection of God on his deathbed. To secure his release, Diderot promised never to write anything similar again. However, he soon returned to work on a project that was even more ambitious and controversial.
In 1745, publisher André le Breton hired Diderot to adapt the English cyclopedia, or a universal dictionary of arts and sciences, for French readers. As a struggling writer, Diderot made ends meet through translation, tutoring, and writing sermons for priests, as well as a novel of a more risqué nature. Le Breton paired him with co-editor Jean le Rond d’Alembert, a mathematical prodigy found as an infant on a church doorstep.
While technical dictionaries were not new, no one had attempted to create a single publication that encompassed all knowledge. Diderot and d’Alembert set out to do just that, organizing the brightest minds of the French Enlightenment to produce the first encyclopedia—a rational dictionary of the arts, sciences, and crafts. This monumental work ultimately contained over 70,000 entries and 20 million words across 35 volumes, compiled over three decades of research, writing, debate, and collaboration.
To structure the encyclopedia, Diderot adapted Francis Bacon’s “Classification of Knowledge” into a three-part system based on the mind’s approaches to reality: memory, reason, and imagination. He also highlighted the significance of commerce, technology, and crafts, often visiting workshops to study the tools and techniques used by Parisian laborers.
Among the nearly 150 contributors were notable figures such as Jean Jacques Rousseau, who wrote much of the music section in just three months without receiving payment for his contributions. His entry on political economy contained ideas he would later expand upon in “The Social Contract.” D’Alembert authored the famous preliminary discourse, a key statement of the French Enlightenment that advocated for independent investigative reasoning as a means to progress. Louis de Jaucourt contributed a quarter of the encyclopedia, writing 18,000 articles totaling 5 million words, also without compensation.
Diderot’s entries occasionally displayed a personal bias; for instance, in “Political Authority,” he critiqued the divine right of kings and argued that a state is strongest with minimal wealth disparity. This perspective was not surprising from someone who wrote about the struggles against oppressive authority.
Diderot’s work did not sit well with the monarchy or the church. Upon the release of the first two volumes, King Louis XV banned the entire encyclopedia, although he kept a copy for himself. Pope Clement XIII condemned it as “dangerous” and “reprehensible,” demanding its destruction and calling for Diderot’s arrest. Nevertheless, Diderot managed to evade censorship by smuggling proofs out of France for publication and receiving assistance from allies within the French regime, including Madame de Pompadour and the royal librarian, Malesherbes, who provided warnings about impending raids and even sheltered Diderot’s papers.
Despite these efforts, Diderot faced numerous challenges. D’Alembert withdrew from the project, Rousseau ended their friendship over a disagreement, and Diderot’s publisher secretly edited some proofs to make them less radical. The uncensored pages eventually resurfaced in Russia in 1933, long after Diderot had considered the work complete and passed away.
The encyclopedia Diderot left behind is many things: a cornerstone of the Enlightenment, a reflection of France’s crisis of authority, and evidence of the shift in public opinion from religious institutions to cafes, salons, and the press. It even includes recipes. Most importantly, it is a testament to the human experience, as illustrated by Diderot’s entry on a plant named aguaxima. Reading it aloud, preferably with a French accent, is highly encouraged.
Encyclopedia – A comprehensive reference work containing articles on a wide range of subjects or on numerous aspects of a particular field, often arranged alphabetically. – The creation of the first modern encyclopedia was a monumental step in the dissemination of knowledge during the Enlightenment.
Diderot – Denis Diderot was a French philosopher, art critic, and writer, best known for serving as co-founder, chief editor, and contributor to the Encyclopédie. – Diderot’s work on the Encyclopédie was instrumental in challenging the traditional authority of the monarchy and the church.
Enlightenment – An intellectual and philosophical movement that dominated the world of ideas in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries, emphasizing reason, individualism, and skepticism of traditional doctrines. – The Enlightenment period fostered a new wave of scientific and philosophical inquiry that reshaped European society.
Knowledge – Information, understanding, or skill that one gets from experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject. – The pursuit of knowledge was a central theme in Enlightenment literature, as writers sought to explore and document the world around them.
Contributors – Individuals who provide content, expertise, or support to a larger project or publication, often collaborating to achieve a common goal. – The Encyclopédie had numerous contributors, each bringing their own expertise to create a comprehensive work of reference.
Authority – The power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience, often derived from a recognized position or role. – Enlightenment thinkers often questioned traditional authority, advocating for reason and evidence-based governance.
Monarchy – A form of government with a monarch at the head, where the state is ruled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth. – The decline of absolute monarchy in France was significantly influenced by Enlightenment ideas that promoted democracy and individual rights.
Controversy – A prolonged public dispute or debate, often concerning a matter of conflicting opinion or point of view. – The publication of the Encyclopédie sparked controversy as it challenged established religious and political norms.
Literature – Written works, especially those considered of superior or lasting artistic merit, often reflecting cultural and social contexts. – Enlightenment literature often explored themes of reason, science, and the questioning of traditional beliefs.
History – The study of past events, particularly in human affairs, often involving the analysis of cause and effect and the interpretation of evidence. – The Enlightenment era is a pivotal chapter in history, marking a shift towards modernity and rational thought.
