Julien Offray de la Mettrie was not just a philosopher, but a visionary who was not afraid to go against the majority opinion to advocate for his own beliefs. He may have lived a short life, but he lived every moment of it staying true to himself.
He has experienced the muddy, grime hardships of the battlefield and the overindulgent, opulent dramatics of the royal courts. La Mettrie’s life was without a bore and his philosophical writings reflect this richness of experience and ambition.
Cover of de la Mettrie, J.o. 1974 [1748]. Man a machine. Frenchenglish edition.
Being a physician that researched the effects of the bodily abnormalities, La Mettrie supplies an interesting perspective on the relationship of the body and soul. His beliefs are supported by evidence he has seen in patients, which is unlike most other philosophers in the curriculum. His unique approach makes his writings an interesting account to counter the powerhouses of philosophy like Descartes and Locke. La Mettrie’s Man A Machine is a significant work when discussing materialism and I believe we cannot fully understand the trajectory of materialism and its place in the larger philosophical discussion if Man A Machine is disregarded.
La Mettrie never received recognition for his thoughts due to the harsh reactions from his critics. His death was ridiculed and pointed as divine punishment for his materialist beliefs. I believe every intellectual has a right to express their opinions and Julien Offray de la Mettrie is not an exception. Instead of dismissing his work as the mad ramblings of a hedonist, we should consider the evidence for his claims and recognize his philosophical system is not without merit and deserves a place in the philosophical cannon.