Helvétius

[ hel-vee-shuhs; French el-vey-syys ]

noun

1. Claude A·dri·en [klawd , ey, -dree-, uh, n, klohd , a, -d, r, ee-, ahn], 1715–71, French philosopher.

Helvétius

/ hɛlˈviːʃɪəs; ɛlvesjys /

noun

1. HelvétiusClaude Adrien17151771MFrenchPHILOSOPHY: philosopher 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

Example Sentences

Holbach and Helvetius were life-long friends and spent much time together reading at Helvetius's country place at Vor.

From Project Gutenberg

As he said to Helvetius, "Vous tes brouill avec tous ceux que vous avez oblig, mais j'ai gard tous mes amis."

From Project Gutenberg

He kept his promise, and then, after much entreaty, gave Helvetius a pinch of the powder—about as much as a rape-seed.

From Project Gutenberg

During their first conference, Helvetius had contrived to conceal a little of the powder beneath his thumb-nail.

From Project Gutenberg

"Helvetius would tell you that all this was self-interest," was my pale-visaged and contemplative friend's reply.

From Project Gutenberg