Historical and Critical Dictionary: Selections

by Pierre Bayle

Other authorsRichard H. Popkin (Translator), Richard H. Popkin (Introduction), Craig Brush (Contributor)
Paperback, 1965

Status

Available

Call number

190

Collection

Publication

Bobbs-Merrill Library of Liberal Arts (1965), Edition: First Edition, Paperback, 456 pages

Description

Richard Popkin's meticulous translation--the most complete since the eighteenth century--contains selections from thirty-nine articles, as well as from Bayle's four Clarifications. The bulk of the major articles of philosophical and theological interest--those that influenced Leibniz, Berkeley, Hume, and Voltaire and formed the basis for so many eighteenth-century discussions--are present, including David, Manicheans,Paulicians,Pyrrho,Rorarius,Simonides,Spinoza, and Zeno of Elea.

User reviews

LibraryThing member keylawk
Pierre Bayle (1647-1706), French philosophe and reviewer. After moving to Rotterdam, he devoted himself to writing this biographical and historical "dictionary", a seminal work appearing in parts in Europe. Bayle fought for religious tolerance in the face of persecution. He also showed, repeatedly,
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that atheist objections to theological claims could not be answered.

His discussion of Spinoza was controversial, and as translated here, does not appear to do much. But in its day, it inspired incendiary reaction by both Protestant and Catholic factions. He discusses the injustice of classes, the hypocrisy of the pious, the physical annihilation of the Manicheans without disposing of their arguments, and the fact that those who can successfully oppose the arguments of the Manicheans find themselves to be Unitarians.(!) [418-19]

Includes the biography of "Ariosta", the concubine whose faithfulness and political skills so nicely coupled with great beauty. Bayle notes that from her eleven children comes a titled House of Este, which still exists in the branch of Modena and of Rhegio. That Ariosta gave more honor to her family than she took from it. [21] He discusses the "singular efficacy" of marriage, which changes the nature of three kinds of time:

"The past is no less free from its influences than is the present or the future." He acknowledges the force, the irresistable authority, of custom.

Bayle keenly scrutinizes how women are treated, exposing its badly baud. [22, 23]

With detailed Index.
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Language

ISBN

64-16703

Local notes

Library of Liberal Arts; also B1825.D53213B39
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