Nicolas de Chamfort

Known as the 'Age of Enlightenment, ' the 1700s was a time that provoked significant leaps in philosophical thought. Most importantly, the thinkers of the time espoused the virtues of happiness, the evidence provided by the senses, and the distance between organised religion and the state. '500 Quotations from the Great Philosophers of the 18th Century' offers a fascinating insight into the philosophical revolution that was taking place at the time. A superb book for dipping in and out of, this makes a great gift for anyone with an interest in philosophy. Nicolas de Chamfort (1741 - 1794) was a political philosopher who attacked the French monarchy through antiroyalist writing.
Also born in France, Denis Diderot (1713 - 1784) was a writer and central figure in the Age of Enlightenment. Scottish economist, Adam Smith (1723 - 1790) wrote treatises on morality and economics. German physicist, Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742 - 1799) satirised superstition and wrote extensively about natural phenomena. Pierre Beaumarchais (1732 - 1799) was a French playwright, spy, diplomat, and watchmaker.