Helvétius: De l’esprit

C.-A. [Claude Adrien] Helvétius: De l’esprit (Paris: Durand 1758)

• Digitized: gallica
• Bibliographic reference: Löwendahl 0502 (referring to 1759 ed.)
• Entry in Wiener China-Bibliographie

The French philsopher Claude Adrien Helvétius (1715-1771) published his De l’esprit [On Mind], in 1758. His study was intended as a rival of Montesquieu’s De l’esprit des lois (1748). Helvétius‘ De l’esprit faced strong opposition, and finally was declared to be heretical, forcing the author to write retractions.  Due to the vivid discussions, the title was quickly translated into many European languages.