Jean-Baptiste-Claude Delisle de Sales
Encyclopedia
Jean-Baptiste-Claude Delisle de Sales or Jean-Baptiste Isoard de Lisle (1741–1816) was a French philosopher noted for his multi-edition, multi-volume opus The Philosophy of Nature: Treatise on Human Moral Nature.
The Philosophy of Nature was first published in 1770 and expanded over the years, supposedly going through seven editions and increasing in size to up to a dozen volumes. It has been described as "long-winded and conventional", a "hodgepodge of ideas".
Sales challenged the young earth biblical 6,000 year old date of creation which was popular in his day; because of this he was put in jail and most of his books were burned, he believed the earth was around 140,000 years old and that the earth took 40,062 years to cool down since its formation, he claimed he obtained this knowledge from astronomical data. He however rejected the 3 million year old date of the earth which was taught in India at the time.
Sales was a close friend of Voltaire
who in 1777 visited a then imprisoned Sales, giving him 500 pounds to towards his release.
The Philosophy of Nature was first published in 1770 and expanded over the years, supposedly going through seven editions and increasing in size to up to a dozen volumes. It has been described as "long-winded and conventional", a "hodgepodge of ideas".
Sales challenged the young earth biblical 6,000 year old date of creation which was popular in his day; because of this he was put in jail and most of his books were burned, he believed the earth was around 140,000 years old and that the earth took 40,062 years to cool down since its formation, he claimed he obtained this knowledge from astronomical data. He however rejected the 3 million year old date of the earth which was taught in India at the time.
Sales was a close friend of Voltaire
Voltaire
François-Marie Arouet , better known by the pen name Voltaire , was a French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher famous for his wit and for his advocacy of civil liberties, including freedom of religion, free trade and separation of church and state...
who in 1777 visited a then imprisoned Sales, giving him 500 pounds to towards his release.