Over two and a half millennia of Western philosophy, Anthony Gottlieb identifies two of the most fruitful periods. To the first, associated with the names of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, he dedicated his bestselling book “The Dream of Reason”. And the second period, from the 1630s. until the eve of the Great French Revolution at the end of the 18th century, is described in the book brought to your attention. In a relatively short time, Descartes, Hobbes, Spinoza, Locke, Leibniz, Hume, Rousseau and Voltaire—that is, most of the most famous representatives of modern philosophy—left their mark on history. They explored the meaning of new science and religious upheavals, rejecting many traditional teachings and views. What does the development of science give us for understanding ourselves and for our ideas about God? What should the government do about religious diversity? What exactly is a government for? According to the author, we are still asking these questions today, continuing our dialogue and debate with Descartes, Hobbes and others.