An Empire of Lies: Holbach on Vanity and Philosophy

Enrico Galvagni

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3 An Empire of Lies: Holbach on Vanity and Philosophy

In: The Great Protector of Wits

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Enrico Galvagni

Enrico Galvagni
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Type:: Chapter

Pages:: 56–73

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004516847_005

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Abstract

Vanity and pride have been condemned by Christian thinkers for centuries. Therefore, it may seem curious that Paul-Henri Thiry, baron d’Holbach, one of the fiercest critics of religion, decried these passions. Holbach’s work is interspersed with remarks about vanity and pride which have gone unnoticed in the literature. This chapter analyzes Holbach’s account of vanity, delving into the role it plays in the establishment and maintenance of religion. I show that the desire for prestige is at the very core of religious practices, which aim to justify the alleged superiority of man over nature. Holbach’s well-known critique of religion, therefore, cannot be fully understood without reference to his lesser known account of vanity and pride. The study of these passions is also essential to grasping Holbach’s conception of philosophy and how the philosophe should be: an individual free from prejudices, who has abandoned every trace of vanity in order to move forward in their journey towards the truth.

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The Great Protector of Wits

Baron d'Holbach and His Time

Series: Brill's Studies in Intellectual History, Volume: 339

E-Book ISBN:: 9789004516847

Publisher:: Brill

Print Publication Date:: 26 May 2022

Subjects

Front Matter

Part 1 Holbach: Philosopher and Philosophe

Part 2 Holbach: Strategist of the Enlightenment

Part 3 Holbach: Encyclopédiste

Part 4 Holbach and His Time

Part 5 Holbach and Revolutionary Consciousnesses

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3 An Empire of Lies: Holbach on Vanity and Philosophy

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The Great Protector of Wits

Baron d'Holbach and His Time

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