Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle
Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle (1657-1757) was a prominent French author and philosopher, known for his contributions to science and literature during the Enlightenment. Born in Rouen, France, he was educated by Jesuits and briefly practiced law before pivoting to a career in writing and intellectual discourse in Paris. Fontenelle became an influential figure in salon society, engaging with notable scientific circles and befriending key figures like mathematician Pierre Varignon. His talents lay in popularizing complex scientific ideas, making them accessible and entertaining for a broader audience, particularly through his work "Entretiens sur la pluralité des mondes," which presented astronomy in an engaging dialogue format.
Fontenelle was a critical thinker who believed in reason as the path to truth, evidenced by his early critique of religious beliefs in "Histoire des oracles." This work drew the ire of religious authorities, highlighting the tension between emerging scientific thought and established religious doctrine. Throughout his life, he was a member of various academies, serving as the perpetual secretary of the Académie des Sciences from 1697 until 1740, and he played a key role in promoting the scientific achievements of his time. Fontenelle's legacy lies in his ability to bridge the gap between science and the general public, fostering a greater appreciation for scientific inquiry in an era of significant intellectual transformation.
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Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle
Author
- Born: February 11, 1657
- Birthplace: Rouen, France
- Died: January 9, 1757
Biography
Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle was born on February 11, 1657, in Rouen, France. He was the nephew of Pierre Corneille, the classical dramatist. He was educated by the Jesuits at Rouen. His father was a lawyer and government official. Fontenelle had a brief career as a lawyer, but he abandoned the profession when he lost his first case. In 1679 Fontenelle moved to Paris, where he became part of the salon society and devoted his time to science, philosophy, and literature. Although Fontenelle valued his independence, his family was of modest means and he served as secretary to Philippe, duc d’Orléans, who lodged him in the Palais Royale until 1730 and also gave him a pension. He met and became friends with Pierre Varnignon, a priest and mathematician. Varignon introduced him to the Parisian scientific circle, and it was in this group that he met Nicolas de Malezien and Guillaume François Antoine Marquis de L’Hôpital, a mathematician and author of the first textbook on differential calculus.
Fontenelle was exceptionally talented in evaluating the works of others, and he wrote extensively on the history of mathematics and on the philosophy of science and mathematics. He was a member of numerous academies. He was elected to the Académie Française in 1691 and to the Académie des Sciences in 1697. He became perpetual secretary of the Académie des Sciences in 1697 and remained in the position through 1740. It was Fontenelle who conceived of the idea of publishing an annual Histoire of the Académie in order to popularize the group’s work. Popularization of science was one of Fontenellle’s main talents. He was able to write analyses of scientific work that not only made the information available to the salon society but that entertained them as well. Fontenelle possessed a critical spirit and believed that reason alone was the way to find the truth. He expressed his ideas in Histoire des oracles (1686). Although it appeared to be merely a critique of pagan oracles, the work constituted one of the first attacks against Christianity by the scientific spirit of the free thinkers. The Jesuits immediately recognized the work as dangerous to religious faith. Louis XIV’s confessor asked that Fontenelle be arrested. Fontenelle, protected by the head of the Paris police, Marc René de Voyer, the marquis d’Argenson, escaped imprisonment. His most famous work was Entretiens sur la pluralité des mondes, which he published in 1686. This work, which was in the form of a dialogue between a nobleman and a lady in a moonlit park, made astronomy understandable for the reading public.