Paper's abstract

Nicolas Grimaldi, Tolerance and Intolerance of Reason at the Time of French Lumières
What are the Lumières? How could the same requirements of reason inspire at the same time Voltaire and Robespierre? How can one so vehemently criticize religion in the name of reason and 30 years later originate a religion of reason? How could reason inspire Voltaire in 1763 his Traité de la tolerance and vindicate in 1793 the intolerance of the "law about suspects"? Is it a matter of adverse circumstances, of deviations? Or are we not rather confronted withan amphiboly of reason as unavoidable as insuperable? Now an humble reason beseech error the right for truth to take place in the public trail of other opinions : it claims tolerance. Now a triumphant reason forbids any right to injustice or error : it is the intolerance of truth. If it was the case, one would understand history since has done nothing but repeat itself.

Key Words : Tolerance, Intolerance, Lumières, reason, Voltaire
t. 44, 2000 : p. 243-272

---