Époque Émilienne

Book excerpt: The present book contextualizes Du Châtelet’s contribution to the philosophy of her time. The editor offers this tribute to an Époque Émiliennee as a collection of innovative papers on Emilie Du Châtelet’s powerful philosophy and legacy. Du Châtelet was an outstanding figure in the era she lived in. Her work and achievements were unique, though not an exception in the 18th century, which did not lack outstanding women. Her personal intellectual education, her scholarly network and her mental acumen were celebrated in her time, perceiving her to have “multiplied nine figures by nine figures in her head”. She was able to gain access to institutions which were normally denied to women. To call an epoch an Époque Émilienne may be seen as daring and audacious, but it will not be the last time if we continue to bring women philosophers back into the memory of the history of philosophy. The contributors paid attention to the philosophical state of the art, which forms the background to Du Châtelet’s philosophy. They follow the transformation of philosophical concepts under her pen and retrace the impact of her ideas. The book is of interest to scholars working in the history of philosophy as well as in gender studies. It is of special interest for scholars working on the 18th century, Kant, Leibniz, Wolff, Newton and the European Enlightenment.