Series on the life and work of Enlightenment writer and thinker Voltaire. A prolific polemicist, he wrote some 15 million words, from plays, poems and novesls to pamphlets, letters and essays
Nicholas Cronk explores how Voltaire's encounter with English culture both influenced the writer personally and had far-reaching consequences for Enlightenment thinking generally.
DetailsSimon Blackburn examines Voltaire's views on religion and belief, including his views on the corrupt Church and the complex question of his lingering faith.
DetailsNicholas Cronk introduces Voltaire, places him within the context of other Enlightenment thinkers and celebrates his novel Candide, a timeless satire on the human condition.
DetailsFrench journalist Agnes Poirier asks what Voltaire, the father of 'laicite' - France's version of secularism - would say about the debate going on in France about banning the burka.
DetailsProfessor Nicholas Cronk discusses Voltaire's legacy, exploring his celebrity status and the lasting influence of his ideas about politics, religion and tolerance.
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