Harmony and Efficiency: Erudite libertinism in Early Modern France

This paper deals with the idea of reason as it was seen by erudite libertines in Early Modern France. The analysis will draw on the work of Gabriel Naudé (1600-1653) and highlight the influence of Montaigne. Naudé developed an ideal of reason based on autonomous thinking within the humanist tradition. The paper shows that this idea of reason was based on two concepts which have been neglected by scholars in the field of erudite libertinism: harmony and efficiency. These concepts appear to be closely related to the stoic vision of moderation, preventing men to become a slave of their passions. This meant in the first place that knowledge had to go hand in hand with harmony. Exclusive focus on specific theories or small, too erudite, details was considered as inappropriate exaggeration. In the second place, Naudé’s concept of efficiency implied that knowledge had to be useful for civic life.