Quand les philosophes rient de la religion
When philosophers laugh at religion

Author(s): Anne Staquet
Subject(s): Philosophy, Language and Literature Studies, Studies of Literature, Theology and Religion, Theory of Literature
Published by: Editura Junimea
Keywords: Philosophy; Modernity; Religion; Dissimulation; Rhetoric; Irony;
Summary/Abstract: While the notion of irony is well suited to certain literary genres, often referred to as minors, it seems less obvious in philosophical discourse and especially when it comes to dealing with such important subjects as theology or the central issues of religion as the immortality of the soul, miracles or the greatness of God. However, in the 17th century, when the Inquisition and the imprimatur were still powerful institutions, surprisingly, there were many examples of the use of irony, particularly in speeches dealing with religious issues. More than political issues, however, it is probably the most monitored theme and should be used to increase respect. How is it that philosophers dare to use irony to deal with these subjects? How do they use irony? And above all, why do philosophers use irony to address certain themes? It is to these questions that I will propose to answer with an approach combining philosophy and rhetorical analysis of the texts. To do this, I will have to place the humorous excerpts in the dynamics of the works and in the historical context.

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