D'ALEMBERT EDITORE E "PHILOSOPHE”

Abstract

On November 16, 1717 on the steps of Saint Jean-Baptiste le Rond de Paris, a newborn was found, and he was given the name of the discovery place. He was placed with a poor craftsman family until he was an adult. Out of this poor origin grew up a man of strong intellectual force and social distinction. At the age of twelve he was admitted the Mazzarino College, then placed in the La Coupole building, which from 1805 hosts, in quai Conti, the Institute de France together with his five academies. In the Mazzarino College the joung man gave himself the pseudonym of D’Alembert, got the Baccalaureat when he was eighteen, and became attorney at the age of 24. He was attracted from scientific disciplines and in particular from mathematics, in which he showed an exceptional attitude. Very soon he published works of such an interest to be admitted to the Acad´emie des Sciences when he was 24. In few years he published four works of mechanics: (SOLID, FLUID, CELESTIAL). In 1758 he published the TRAIT ´EDE DYNAMIQUE which can be considered a landmark of scientific culture of the XVIII century. In 1751 the first volume of the monumental ´ENCYCLOP ´EDIE appeared; he was co-editor with DIDEROT. The Kings: LUIGI XV DI FRANCIA, FEDERICO II DI PRUSSIA, CATERINA II DI RUSSIA have been the main sponsors of D’Alembert, together with other “Philosophes”. They were absolute monarchs, who maybe did not agree with the ideas of Enlightenment, but were forced by the public opinion to show respect in their regards.