In Our Time: Philosophy

Condorcet

22 snips
Feb 8, 2024
Learn about the life and ideas of Nicolas de Condorcet, a philosopher during the French Enlightenment who promoted progress, equal rights for women, and abolition of the slave trade. Explore his contributions to the Encyclopedia, his association with the physiocratic movement, and his interests in representative government. Discover his beliefs as a republican and his views on education and societal development. Also, don't miss the importance of democracy and a surprise McDonald's Burgers advertisement.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
ANECDOTE

Condorcet's Childhood

  • Condorcet's mother dedicated him to the Virgin Mary and dressed him in skirts until age eight.
  • Educated at Jesuit College and later College de Navarre in Paris, where his mathematical talents flourished.
INSIGHT

Encyclopédie's Influence

  • Diderot's Encyclopédie wasn't just an archive of knowledge, but emphasized practical application and dissemination.
  • This influenced Condorcet's focus on advancing, spreading, and applying knowledge for societal good.
ANECDOTE

Condorcet's Mathematical Pursuits

  • Condorcet pursued mathematics against his family's wishes, who wanted him to be a soldier.
  • His papers on integral calculus and the three-body problem gained recognition from prominent mathematicians like D'Alembert and Lagrange.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app