1001Philosophers

Jean le Rond d'Alembert 1717 – 1783

Jean le Rond d'Alembert (1717 – 1783) was a French philosopher of the Modern era, associated with Enlightenment.

Jean le Rond d'Alembert was a French mathematician, physicist, and Enlightenment philosopher and the co-editor with Diderot of the Encyclopedie. His Preliminary Discourse to that work surveyed the unity and history of human knowledge, while his contributions to mathematical physics, including d'Alembert's principle in mechanics, established him as one of the leading scientific thinkers of his age. He maintained a long correspondence with Frederick the Great and was for two decades the perpetual secretary of the Academie francaise.

Key facts

Nationality
French
Era
Modern
Movements
Enlightenment

Selected quotes

  • Attributed to Jean le Rond d'Alembert:

    “All the sciences flow into one another.”

  • Attributed to Jean le Rond d'Alembert:

    “Skepticism is the first virtue of the philosopher.”

  • Attributed to Jean le Rond d'Alembert:

    “Geometry is the truest of the sciences.”

  • Attributed to Jean le Rond d'Alembert:

    “The unity of human knowledge is the philosophical aim of the Encyclopedie.”

  • Attributed to Jean le Rond d'Alembert:

    “All certainty in physics depends on a few principles which we owe to experience.”

Read all Jean le Rond d'Alembert quotes

Jean le Rond d'Alembert by topic

Frequently asked about Jean le Rond d'Alembert

When did Jean le Rond d'Alembert live?
Jean le Rond d'Alembert was born in 1717 and died in 1783.
Where was Jean le Rond d'Alembert from?
Jean le Rond d'Alembert was a French philosopher of the Modern era.
What philosophical movements is Jean le Rond d'Alembert associated with?
Jean le Rond d'Alembert was associated with Enlightenment.
What was Jean le Rond d'Alembert known for?
Jean le Rond d'Alembert was a French mathematician, physicist, and Enlightenment philosopher and the co-editor with Diderot of the Encyclopedie.
How many quotes are attributed to Jean le Rond d'Alembert?
There are 6 attributed quotations from Jean le Rond d'Alembert in the 1001Philosophers collection, organized by topic.