Louis de Jaucourt

Louis de Jaucourt

French philosopher and enlightener
Date of Birth: 16.09.1704
Country: France

Content:
  1. Louis de Jaucourt: A Pioneering Encyclopedist
  2. Chevalier de l'Ordre de la Légion d'Honneur
  3. A Prolific Contributor to the Encyclopédie
  4. Overlooked by History, Rediscovered in the 20th Century

Louis de Jaucourt: A Pioneering Encyclopedist

Louis de Jaucourt (c. 1704 – 1779), a renowned French philosopher and encyclopedist, played an instrumental role in the creation of the groundbreaking Enlightenment work, the Encyclopédie.

Chevalier de l'Ordre de la Légion d'Honneur

Despite the establishment of the prestigious Legion of Honor by Napoleon Bonaparte 23 years after his death, Jaucourt was bestowed with the title Chevalier de l'Ordre de la Légion d'Honneur. This accolade was later bestowed on his descendants, including François de Jaucourt, a general in the royal army and Republican vice-director of the Seine-et-Marne department.

A Prolific Contributor to the Encyclopédie

Jaucourt's contributions to the Encyclopédie were staggering. He authored over 18,000 articles spanning a wide range of subjects, including physiology, chemistry, botany, medicine, and political history. Among the Enlightenment's most prolific writers, his work touched upon nearly every aspect of human knowledge.

Overlooked by History, Rediscovered in the 20th Century

For generations, Jaucourt's significance as a contributor to the Encyclopédie was overshadowed by the towering figures of Denis Diderot and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a consequence of his aristocratic background. However, in the mid-20th century, scholarly interest in his work began to rise, leading to a reassessment of his contributions to the Enlightenment project.

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