Lettre sur le commerce des livres

By Denis Diderot

Diderot suit le raisonnement déjà tenu par Louis d'Héricourt en 1725 selon lequel l'auteur est propriétaire de son œuvre, au même titre que n'importe quel bien matériel. En dépit du caractère particulier qu'il attribue néanmoins à cette propriété, qui fait penser au droit moral de l'auteur, inaliénable de nos jours, Diderot la considère comme entièrement aliénable: l'éditeur est donc en droit de l'acquérir, entièrement et une fois pour toutes.

• Language: Français
• Publisher: epf
• Release date: Jan 10, 2018
• ISBN: 9780244960902

Denis Diderot

Denis Diderot (1713-1784) was a French philosopher, art critic, and writer of erotic fiction. Born into wealth, he studied philosophy at a Jesuit college before attempting to enter the clergy. In 1734, tiring of religion, he declared his wish to become a professional writer, and was disowned by his father. From this point onward, he lived as a bohemian in Paris, writing anonymous works of erotica, including The Talking Jewels (1748). In 1751, he cofounded the Encyclopédie, a controversial resource on the sciences that drew condemnation from the church and the French government. Despite his relative obscurity and lack of financial success, he was later recognized as a foundational figure in the radicalization of French society prior to the Revolution.