Diderot was born in 1713, the son of a master cutler. Although tonsured in 1726, he did not enter the church, and he later became an atheist and embraced rationalism. In 1732 Diderot was awarded a master of arts degree from the University of Paris. He held various jobs before beginning work on the Encyclopédie.
What was Denis Diderot’s early life like?
Why is Denis Diderot significant?
The French philosopher and essayist Denis Diderot served as chief editor (1745–72) of the Encyclopédie, and in that role he was one of the originators and interpreters of the Enlightenment. The work, notable for its attitude of tolerance and liberalism, had profound political, social, and intellectual repercussions in France just prior to the Revolution.
