Tolerance

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Tolerance

An analysis of the similarities in Francois-Marie Arouet's (Voltaire) views on tolerance to his predecessor, Pierre Bayle.

1,498 words () | 3 sources | MLA | 2007 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the philosophical views of Francois-Marie Arouet (known by the pen-name, Voltaire) and Pierre Bayle with regards to the concept of tolerance. It argues that Voltaire is surprisingly indebted to Bayle for a number of his own views. The paper specifically discusses their views on violence, common potential and a basic belief in enlightened humanism. The paper suggests that Bayle clearly blazed a trail that Voltaire was to later follow.

From the Paper:

"At the same time, Bayle also believes that the outwards professions of faith are meaningless if they are not conjoined by inner purity. In particular, he defines an inner state lacking in proper fear of God or in proper love for the Holy Writ as "Acts of Hypocrisy and Falsehood, or Impiety and Revolt against Conscience" (Bayle 77). The reference to "impiety" is particularly interesting inasmuch as Voltaire, in a much later era, would write at length about how those who stoop to judge their fellow man and their fidelity to the Word of God are guilty of impiously assuming for themselves the magisterial role best left to God. In Bayle's case, his strong emphasis upon the need to truly have fear and love of God in one's heart runs parallel with Voltaire's to the extent that he, too, believes that proper modesty and deference is essential to noble Christian living. Clearly, a person who wishes to "play God" is not acting as a humble Christian and, in this respect, both Bayle - who denounces those who use punishment and coercion in an attempt to impress the Word of God upon the souls of others (77) - and certainly Voltaire rebuke those who want to act as members of earthly tribunals."

Sample of Sources Used:

Arouet, Francois-Marie (Voltaire). "On the Occasion of the Death of Jean Calas". Treatise on Tolerance. N.d. 8 Aug. 2006 <http://www.constitution.org/volt/tolerance.txt>
Arouet, Francois-Marie (Voltaire). "Treatise on Tolerance: Chapter I". Trans. Simon Harvey. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 8 Aug. 2006 <http://assets.cambridge.org/052164/0172/sample/0521640172ws.pdf>
Bayle, Pierre. "A Philosophical Commentary on These Words the Gospel, Luke 14.23, "Compel Them to Come in, That My House May Be Full - Part The First". The Online Library of Liberty. 2005. Liberty Fund, Inc. 8 Aug. 2006 <http://olldownload.libertyfund.org/Texts/LFBooks/Bayle0680/PhilosophicalCommentary/PDFs/1302_Pt03_Part1.pdf>