thoughts to gain a new perspective on our existence.

A superb read for fans of modern philosophy and those who simply want something fascinating to dip in and out of. Michel de Montaigne (1533 – 1592) was a French philosopher, who pioneered the use of essays as a literary device. Montesquieu (1689 – 1755) was also French, whose writing had a huge influence on political systems. Voltaire (1694 – 1778), also from France, was one of the founders of the French Enlightenment movement. Niccolò Machiavelli (1469 – 1527) was an Italian diplomat who excused the use of unscrupulous means in politics. Born in Geneva, Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712 – 1778) was a spearhead in the European Enlightenment movement. Born in Germany, Immanuel Kant (1724 – 1804) was another central figure of Enlightenment philosophy, as was Dutchman, Baruch Spinoza (1632 – 1677). Born in France, Blaise Pascal (1623 – 1662) was a fideistic philosopher, while Francis Bacon (1909 – 1992) is best known as an existential artist.