Helvétius

American  

[hel-vee-shuhs, el-vay-syys] / hɛlˈvi ʃəs, ɛl veɪˈsjüs /

noun

1. Claude Adrien 1715–71, French philosopher.

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Helvétius British  

/ hɛlˈviːʃɪəs, ɛlvesjys /

noun

1. Claude Adrien (klod adriɛ̃). 1715–71, French philosopher. In his chief work De l'Esprit (1758), he asserted that the mainspring of human action is self-interest and that differences in human intellects are due only to differences in education

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Helvétius

“I disapprove of what you say,” he is said to have written to the philosopher Claude Helvétius, “but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

From Time ● May 5, 2015

Compared with Helvétius, 313 Aurelius, Marcus, on a future state, i.

From History of European Morals From Augustus to Charlemagne (Vol. 2 of 2) by William Edward Hartpole Lecky

Godwin might have quoted Helvétius: "It is with genius as with an astronomer; he sees a new star and forthwith all can see it."

From Shelley, Godwin and Their Circle by Henry Noel Brailsford

Helvétius, hoping to get rid as far as possible of government, had advocated a system of federated commonwealths, each so small that public opinion and the fear of shame would act powerfully within it.

From Shelley, Godwin and Their Circle by Henry Noel Brailsford

Three members of this school have importance in literature—La Mettrie, Helvétius, and Holbach.

From A Short History of French Literature by George Saintsbury

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