Republic of Letters in the context of "Philosophe"

ā­ In the context of *philosophes*, the 'Republic of Letters' is considered a key component of their efforts toā€¦

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ā­ Core Definition: Republic of Letters

The Republic of Letters (Res Publica Litterarum or Res Publica Literaria) was the long-distance intellectual community in the late 17th and 18th centuries in Europe and the Americas. It fostered communication among the intellectuals of the Age of Enlightenment, or philosophes as they were called in France. These communities that transcended national boundaries formed the basis of a metaphysical republic. Because of societal constraints on women, the Republic of Letters consisted mostly of men.

The Republic of Letters relied heavily on handwritten letters for correspondence.

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šŸ‘‰ Republic of Letters in the context of Philosophe

The philosophes (French for 'philosophers') were the intellectuals of the 18th-century European Enlightenment. Few were primarily philosophers; rather, philosophes were public intellectuals who applied reason to the study of many areas of learning, including philosophy, history, science, politics, economics, and social issues. They had a critical eye and looked for weaknesses and failures that needed improvement. They promoted a "Republic of Letters" that crossed national boundaries and allowed intellectuals to freely exchange books and ideas. Most philosophes were men, but some were women.

They strongly endorsed progress and tolerance, as they distrusted organized religion (most were deists) and feudal institutions. Many contributed to Diderot's EncyclopƩdie. They faded away after the French Revolution reached a violent stage in 1793.

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Republic of Letters in the context of Ismaƫl Boulliau

IsmaĆ«l Boulliau (French: [buljo]; Latin: IsmaĆ«l Bullialdus; 28 September 1605 ā€“ 25 November 1694) was a 17th-century French astronomer, mathematician, and Catholic priest, who was also interested in history, theology, classical studies, and philology. He was an active member of the Republic of Letters, an intellectual community that exchanged ideas. An early defender of the ideas of Nicolaus Copernicus, Johannes Kepler and Galileo Galilei, Ismael Bullialdus has been called "the most noted astronomer of his generation". One of his books is Astronomia Philolaica (1645).

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Institut de France → Learned society → Age of Enlightenment → Philosophes →