About
Claude-Adrien Helvétius (1715-1771) was a French philosopher and writer. Born in Paris into a family of physicians, he became a farmer-general at age 23, amassing a considerable fortune. In 1751, he married Anne-Catherine de Ligniville and retired to his estate at Voré to devote himself to writing. His major work, De l'esprit (1758), advanced a materialist and utilitarian philosophy, causing a huge scandal: condemned by the Sorbonne and the Parlement of Paris, the book was publicly burned. Helvétius argued that education can do everything and that self-interest is the sole motive of human action. His posthumous work, De l'homme (1772), developed his ideas. His thought influenced philosophers such as Bentham and Beccaria.
* 1715-01-26 — † 1771-12-26
Major works
- De l'esprit (1758)philosophical essay
- De l'homme, de ses facultés intellectuelles et de son éducation (1772)philosophical essay
Key milestones
- 1738Appointed farmer-general, a lucrative tax-collecting post.
- 1758Publication of De l'esprit, condemned and publicly burned in 1759.
- 1764Visited England and Prussia, invited by Frederick II.
Themes
MaterialismUtilitarianismEducationSelf-interestEquality of intellects
Sources: britannica.com · cambridge.org