Home / Authors / Denis Diderot

Denis Diderot Quotes

Philosopher

Denis Diderot was a French philosopher, art critic, and writer who played a pivotal role in the Enlightenment. He is best known for his work on the Encyclopédie, which aimed to compile all the knowledge of the time into a single work.

Filter quotes by topic

All Men Literature Ifs Atheism Positive Atheism Firsts Religion Order People Doe Giving Philosophy Reason Virtue World Steps Genius May Passion Should

Famous Denis Diderot Quotes

“Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest.”

Religion Freedom Monarchy

Author:Denis Diderot

“A thing is not proved just because no one has ever questioned it. What has never been gone into impartially has never been properly gone into. Hence scepticism is the first step toward truth. It must be applied generally, because it is the touchstone.”

Firsts Religion Steps Gone First Steps Touchstones Scepticism

Author:Denis Diderot

“I have only a small flickering light to guide me in the darkness of a thick forest. Up comes a theologian and blows it out.”

Light Religion Darkness Blow Guides Forests Thick Theologian Agnosticism Guide Me Flickering Light

Author:Denis Diderot

“The most dangerous madmen are those created by religion, and people whose aim is to disrupt society always know how to make good use of them on occasion.”

People Knows Use Religion Know How Atheism Dangerous Aim Occasions Fanatics Fanaticism Madmen

Author:Denis Diderot

“There is not a Musselman alive who would not imagine that he was performing an action pleasing to God and his Holy Prophet by exterminating every Christian on earth, while the Christians are scarcely more tolerant on their side.”

Action Earth Christian Religion Sides Alive Imagine Holy Performing Prophet Imagine That Holy Prophet

Author:Denis Diderot

“Scepticism is the first step towards truth.”

Firsts Religion Steps Atheism First Steps Scepticism

Author:Denis Diderot

“Man will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest.”

“The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has killed a great many philosophers.”

Spiritual Science Religion Atheism Atheist Philosopher Priests Agnostic

Author:Denis Diderot

“Disturbances in society are never more fearful than when those who are stirring up the trouble can use the pretext of religion to mask their true designs.”

Use Religion Literature Trouble Design Revolution Revolutionary Mask Fearful Stirring Disturbance Pretext

Book:Selected Writings

Source: Selected Writings

“Watch out for the fellow who talks about putting things in order! Putting things in order always means getting other people under your control.”

People Mean Religion Order Watches Power Management Fellows Tyranny Organized

Author:Denis Diderot

“To attempt the destruction of our passions is the height of folly. What a noble aim is that of the zealot who tortures himself like a madman in order to desire nothing, love nothing, feel nothing, and who, if he succeeded, would end up a complete monster!”

Ifs Love Feels Ends Desire Religion Order Passion Destruction Aim Noble Monsters Height Torture Folly Madmen Asceticism Zealot

Book:Selected Writings

Source: Selected Writings

“Only a very bad theologian would confuse the certainty that follows revelation with the truths that are revealed. They are entirely different things.”

Different Religion Theology Certainty Revelations Different Things Theologian

Book:Selected Writings

Source: Selected Writings

“Bad company is as instructive as licentiousness. One makes up for the loss of one's innocence with the loss of one's prejudices.”

Religion Loss Company Prejudice Innocence Bad Company

Author:Denis Diderot

“Mankind have banned the Divinity from their presence; they have relegated him to a sanctuary; the walls of the temple restrict his view; he does not exist outside of it.”

Doe Religion Views Mankind Wall Divinity Temples Sanctuary Banned

Author:Denis Diderot