François-Marie Arouet (Voltaire)

François-Marie Arouet, known as Voltaire, was an influential French philosopher and writer of the Enlightenment, known for his advocacy of reason, freedom of speech, and religious tolerance. He challenged established authority and dogma, using wit and satire to promote rational thought. Voltaire believed in the power of reason to improve society and criticized superstition and injustice. His works encouraged critical thinking and laid the groundwork for modern ideas about civil liberties and the separation of church and state, making him a key figure in the development of rationalism and the broader intellectual movement of his time.