Le Rêve de d’Alembert

work by Diderot

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July 13, 2026

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Le Rêve de d'Alembert (D'Alembert's Dream) is a philosophical dialogue written by Denis Diderot, though it was not published until after his death. The work explores Diderot's materialistic and atheistic views, questioning the distinctness of categories like animal, vegetable, and mineral.1

The dialogue features characters discussing the nature of matter, life, and consciousness, reflecting Diderot's interest in biology and the plasticity of matter. It is written in a characteristic dialogue form, allowing Diderot to freely explore speculative ideas rather than presenting firm conclusions. This work exemplifies the Enlightenment's spirit of independent inquiry and the questioning of established ideas.1

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Denis Diderot
The Encyclopédie
…“Conversation Between d’Alembert and Diderot”), Le Rêve de d’Alembert (written 1769, published 1830; “D’Alembert’s Dream”), and the Eléments de physiologie (1774–80). In these works Diderot developed his materialist philosophy and arrived at startling intuitive insights into biology and chemistry; in speculating on the origins of life without divine intervention, for…
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…“Conversation Between d’Alembert and Diderot”), Le Rêve de d’Alembert (written 1769, published 1830; “D’Alembert’s Dream”), and the Eléments de physiologie (1774–80). In these works Diderot developed his materialist philosophy and arrived at startling intuitive insights into biology and chemistry; in speculating on the origins of life without divine intervention, for…
Read More