[Revised entry by Michael LeBuffe on October 1, 2024.
Changes to: Main text, Bibliography]
Paul-Henri Thiry, Baron d’Holbach was a philosopher, translator, and prominent social figure of the French Enlightenment. In his philosophical writings Holbach developed a deterministic and materialistic metaphysics, which grounded his polemics against organized religion as well as his utilitarian ethical and political theory. As a translator, Holbach made significant contributions to the European Enlightenment in science and religion. He translated German works on chemistry and geology into French, summarizing many of the…

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