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Named source · 1764

A Philosophical Dictionary Quotes by Voltaire: Context & Meanings

1 quotation linked to A Philosophical Dictionary by or associated with Voltaire, with source notes, explanations and related topics.

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Voltaire’s alphabetically organized Enlightenment work of criticism, history and polemic

Topics and ideas

Toleration, fanaticism, religion, historical criticism, human fallibility, satire and opposition to persecution.

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Ideas connected with the quotations represented here

Anger 1Community 1Compassion 1Deep 1Forgiveness 1Helping Others 1Humanity 1Peace 1Philosophy 1Service 1Thought Provoking 1Tolerance 1Wisdom 1
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“What is toleration? It is the appurtenance of humanity. We are all full of weakness and errors; let us mutually pardon each other our follies—it is the first law of nature.”
Voltaire · A Philosophical Dictionary · 1764

Voltaire begins toleration from shared human fallibility: recognizing that everyone is capable of error weakens the claim that disagreement should be answered with persecution.

Source note: A Philosophical Dictionary, article “Toleration,” Project Gutenberg #35630. The section moves immediately into examples of people from different religious traditions trading together without attacking one another, placing the maxim inside Voltaire’s campaign against religious persecution.