The Cambridge Companion to Montaigne

Michel de Montaigne (1533–1592), the great Renaissance skeptic and pioneer of the essay form, is known for his innovative method of philosophical inquiry which mixes the anecdotal and the personal with serious critiques of human knowledge, politics and the law. He is the first European writer to be intensely interested in the representations of his own intimate life, including not just his reflections and emotions but also the state of his body. His rejection of fanaticism and cruelty and his admiration for the civilizations of the New World mark him out as a predecessor of modern notions of tolerance and acceptance of otherness. In this volume an international team of contributors explores the range of his philosophy and also examines the social and intellectual contexts in which his thought was expressed.

• Contributions to this volume come from international specialists in the field of Montaigne studies • Readers new to Montaigne will find this a most convenient and accessible guide to his philosophy • Montaigne’s innovative method of philosophical inquiry is related to modern notions of respect for diversity and tolerance

List of contributors; Acknowledgements; Note on the text; Chronology; 1. Introduction Ullrich Langer; 2. Montaigne’s political and religious context Ullrich Langer; 3. Montaigne’s legacy Warren Boutcher; 4. Montaigne and antiquity: fancies and grotesques John O’Brien; 5. The Essays and the New World Tom Conley; 6. Justice and the law: on the reverse side of the Essays André Tournon; 7. Montaigne and the notion of prudence Francis Goyet; 8. Montaigne and the truth of the schools Ian Maclean; 9. The investigation of nature George Hoffmann; 10. Montaigne and scepticism Ann Hartle; 11. Montaigne on moral philosophy and the good life J. B. Schneewind; Bibliography; Index.