Denis Diderot'nun materyalizmi

The Enlightenment marks one of the most profound intellectual shifts in Western thought, emphasizing reason, science, and critical inquiry. In the eighteenth century, this movement found its strongest expression in France, where it became not only a theoretical pursuit but also a radical cultural project aimed at social and political change. One of the most notable achievements of the French Enlightenment was the Encyclopedia, directed by Denis Diderot and d'Alembert, which sought not only to compile knowledge but to redefine it based on reason and experience. The Encyclopedists developed skeptical, agnostic, and materialist approaches opposed to dogmatic metaphysics. In this context, Denis Diderot emerges as one of the most creative and radical figures. While his early writings reflect a deistic view, he gradually shifted toward naturalism and ultimately embraced materialism, grounding his philosophy in the self-sufficiency of nature. For Diderot, thought, consciousness, and freedom must be understood within the framework of natural laws. This study aims to examine Diderot's materialism in three parts: It's historical roots, its role within the French Enlightenment, and its wider philosophical implications.