Philosophes, Antiphilosophes and Public Opinion in France circa 1760

In 1760, Palissot presented Les Philosophes, a comedy that raised two problems that concerned antiphilosophes and encyclopedists: the widespread adoption of the label philosophe, even among those not deserving the title; and the manner in which those who boasted about altruistically devoting themselves to the struggle against the prejudices of the time employed the most despicable ruses against their peers in order to achieve a coveted position and the applause of the public, which they believe they could manipulate at will. This article analyzes texts about the figure of the philosophe in eighteenth-century France, and in particular those who warned against the deterioration of their public image as a result of the literary quarrels. In doing so, the article recovers scarcely-studied sources that are important for understanding how men of letters perceived themselves, valuing their social ascendancy over the often scorned illiterate multitude. From this perspective, the philosophe appears as a polemical figure who sees themself as the director of public opinion.