Voltaire

Voltaire, whose real name was François-Marie Arouet was born November 21, 1694; He was a great writer of the enlightenment period who not only criticized government, but also his fellow philosophies. After the earthquake of Lisbon in 1775 many thinkers of the era begun to contemplate on the event, and why it had occurred. In Poème sur le désastre de Lisbonne ("Poem on the Lisbon disaster") Voltaire attacked the idea that god had created the earthquake to rid the city of sinners. He gave such a negative view on the earthquake that even his fellow Philosophies begun to write letters to him, because they were appalled by his view.

Clearly Voltaire was a singular character in his era. He followed his own views and many of them were right. He was of great influence to modern society, and even influenced the creation of the United States. We should all try to learn more about the enlightenment thinkers which laid the basis for modern society.