Voltaire's "On Policy" (Extra Credit)

While Candide is the one Voltaire book everyone seems to read, it is not necessarily his best (or most interesting) work. Read through the selection from his Philosophical Dictionary on pp. 36-40 in your "Communist Manifesto and Other Revolutionary Writings" anthology. What do you find here that is particularly amusing, interesting, or important?

Role of Citizens in the Legislative Process

Want to know more about how state government works? One way is to attend the "Role of the Citizen" forum Wednesday evening (5:30) in the Centennial rooms upstairs in the student center. The forum is sponsored by the Chiesman Center for Democracy--an organization I know nothing about. State senator Jim Hundstad (D-Bath) will be there, and perhaps some other legislators. Should you decide to attend, please comment here on your reaction to the forum. Are you glad you went? What did you learn?

The French Encyclopedia

Reading the articles in Diderot's Encylopedia is one of the best ways to understand the French Enlightenment. It shows the attitudes of the philosophes toward everything from Islam to Women to Intolerance to History. While the online translation of the Encylopedia articles does not include the wonderful illustrations of the orginal, you will probably still find much of interest.

Browse to an article on a topic of interest to you. Comment on what you found particularly interesting in that article.