A Philosophe is any of the literary men, scientists, and thinkers of 18th-century France who were united, in spite of divergent personal views, in their conviction of the supremacy and efficacy of human reason.

A Philosophe is any of the leading philosophical, political, and social writers of the 18th-century French Enlightenment.

The Philosophes are the skeptical thinkers of the 18th‐century Enlightenment in France, who subjected the established institutions and beliefs of their time to rational criticism.

Overall, a Philosophe is a thinker in the 18th century who doubted the Enlightenment in France and were usually literary men, scientists, or other thinkers in that time period.

Definition of Philosophe

Dictionary.com says that a philosophe is any of the 18th century French intellectuals or social philosophers. 

Encarta Dictionary  says the definition of a philosophe is a leading writer or thinker of the 18th century enlightenment in France who advocated for social change through rational philosophy and was critical of the government. 

Brittanica says that a philosophe is any one of the thinkers or scientists from 18th century France who were united by the belief in the supremacy in human reason, despite differing personal views. 

I was inspired by Will's personal definition of the word philosophe, which seems impossible to pronounce. Mine is as follows. 

Philosophe: A French man, thinker, philosopher or scientist of the 18th century Enlightenment in France who sparked social change through their advocation for human reason being supreme and for their critique of the government. 

Philosophe

A Philosophe is a French intellectual and writer of the Enlightenment

A Philosophe is also one of the deistic or materialistic writers and thinkers of the 18th century French Enlightenment

FIND out what a philosophe is. POST a definition that includes links to at least 3 different sources. (If you use a print source, link to the appropriate Amazon or Google Books page.)
LABEL: first name, philosophe

A philosophe is one of the main thinkers during the enlightenment, who promoted change in French society.

I used 3 sources:
Encyclopedia Brittanica was by far the most helpful, but Dictionary.com and the online Merriam-Webster site also gave short, concise definitions.

Philosophe Definition

A philosophe (other sources HERE and HERE) is an intellectual/thinker who lived during the French Enlightenment period in the 18th century. They would challenge common beliefs about the church and the social hierarchy. 

Philosophe

Wikipedia suggests that a philosophe is a French enlightenment thinker/philosopher that was dedicated to solving the problems of the world.

Merriam Webster's Online Dictionary states that a philosophe is one of the deistic or materialistic writers and thinkers of the 18th century French Enlightenment.


Britannica Online defines a philosophe as any of the literary men, scientists, and thinkers of 18th-century France who were united, in spite of divergent personal views, in their conviction of the supremacy and efficacy of human reason.

By combining all three of the definitions from my different sources I have come to define a philosophe as a French enlightenment thinker that was dedicated to revealing the truths of the World.

Philosophe

Philosophes were intellectuals in France in The 18th Century during the Enlightenment.

-The Free Dictionary

-Britannica

-Dictionary.com

Definition of Philosophe

A Philosophe was a thinker/scientist who lived during the French Enlightenment Period. They went about challenging common beliefs such as religion. My information was retrieved from here, here, and here.

The definition of a philosophe is a thinker or scientist who challenged the status quo in 18th century France. They formed a group that challenged the rules of society of that time, including the social hierarchy and the church. Although their personal views may differ, they were united by their way of thinking, through reason and logic. I got my information from here, here, and here.

Philosophe

Based of the definitions from here, here, and here, A philosophe is an intellectual/thinker of 18th century France during the Enlightenment period.

Philosophe

philosophe (n): the leading French philosophical/intellectual [thinkers, scientists] men of the 18th century Enlightenment.

Philosophe

From the information given me by Britannica, Merriam-Webster, and Dictionary.com, I would best define a "philosophe" to be one of the philosophers or thinkers that participated in the 18th century Enlightenment in France. These people, most of which were men, encouraged the social and political reforms that most likely sparked the French Revolution.

Philosophe Definition

A Philosophe is any self-declared revolutionary thinker of the 18th century, especially around the time of the Enlightenment. They all shared a devotion to progress and advancement in the old ways of thinking and understanding concepts.

Philosophe

A philosophe, according to Encyclopedia Britannica, Merriam-Webster, and Online Encyclopedia is any 18th-century philosophical writer / thinker who took part in the French Enlightenment. 

Philosophe

A philosophe is considered any intellectual who was part of the Enlightenment of 18th century France. (Merriam-Webster) (MSN Encarta) (Reference.com)