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1 600 €

Réf : 46137

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HELVETIUS

De l'Esprit

Chez Durand, à Paris 1758, in-4 (19,5x26cm), (4) xxij ; 643pp. (1f. priv.), relié.

First edition of the second draw and the first put on the market (it only lists 4 copies of the first issue, it was censored from the beginning of printing Malesherbes).
Bound in full brown sheepskin that time. Back with five nerves decorated with a piece of sheepskin as blonde, coffered and gilded finials. All red edges. Some frictions and blunt corners. Ex-dono time on the half-title and title page.
Soon appeared, the book suffers a ban from the Sorbonne and a blacklisting for his subversive and heretical ideas (the book was even burned to the public in 1759). Redrafting by the author do not change anything, the book was originally dedicated to the king, who dismissed the dedication. The authorities were particularly indignant social and political ideas contained in the work. Encyclopaedists did were not mistaken for whom the book was the bible of Rationalism (though his point was rejected by Diderot). Helvetius not intended as research into the human mind as an object of knowledge, but from a materialist assumption, since it asserts that all human faculties can be reduced to physical sensations. Helvetius (1715-1771) was General Farmer, becoming rich, he knew how to be very generous and a patron of philosophers and writers. --- Please note that the translation in english is done automatically, we apologize if the formulas are inaccurate. Contact us for any information!

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