Marquis de Condorcet

Date of Birth: September 17, 1743

Zodiac Sign: Virgo

Date of Death: March 28, 1794

Biography

Marie Jean Antoine Nicolas de Caritat, Marquis de Condorcet, was a prominent French philosopher, mathematician, and political scientist, born on September 17, 1743, in Ribemont, France. He is best known for his work on the theory of probability, his advocacy for educational reform, and his support for the abolition of slavery. Condorcet was a leading figure in the Enlightenment and played a crucial role in the development of modern liberal democracy. Condorcet was educated at the Jesuit College in Reims and later at the College of Navarre in Paris, where he exhibited an early aptitude for mathematics. He became a member of the French Academy of Sciences in 1769 and went on to publish numerous influential works, including “Essay on the Application of Analysis to the Probability of Majority Decisions” (1785), which laid the groundwork for modern voting theory. A fervent supporter of the French Revolution, Condorcet was elected to the Legislative Assembly and later to the National Convention. He advocated for equal rights for women and the establishment of public education. However, his political views eventually led to his arrest during the Reign of Terror. He died under mysterious circumstances in prison on March 28, 1794.

5 Interesting Facts about Marquis de Condorcet

1. Condorcet was a pioneering advocate for women’s rights, arguing for gender equality in his 1790 work “On the Admission of Women to the Rights of Citizenship.”

2. He was a close friend and associate of notable Enlightenment figures such as Voltaire and Turgot.

3. Condorcet’s “Sketch for a Historical Picture of the Progress of the Human Mind” is considered one of the seminal works of the Enlightenment, outlining his vision for the progress of human knowledge and society.

4. He was one of the first to propose a secular, state-controlled education system, which influenced later educational reforms in France and beyond.

5. Condorcet developed the Condorcet method, a voting system that is still studied and used in various forms today.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Marquis de Condorcet

1. “The perfectibility of man is truly limitless; the progress of this perfectibility, from now on independent of any power that might wish to halt it, has no other limit than the duration of the globe upon which nature has placed us.”

2. “Enjoy your own life without comparing it with that of another.”

3. “The authority of those who teach is often an obstacle to those who want to learn.”

4. “The more man ascends in the scale of civilization, the more does he become convinced that the knowledge of truth is the first and most essential condition of his happiness.”

5. “No man receives from nature the right to command his fellow human beings.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Condorcet did not accumulate significant wealth during his lifetime, as his pursuits were primarily intellectual and political rather than financial. His contributions to philosophy, mathematics, and political thought are his lasting legacies.

Children

Condorcet had one daughter, Eliza Condorcet, who was born in 1790. After his death, Eliza and her mother, Sophie de Condorcet, faced significant hardships during the turbulent post-revolutionary period in France.