ヴォルテール, born François-Marie Arouet in 1694, was a prominent French writer and philosopher of the Enlightenment. He is best known for his wit, advocacy of civil liberties, and criticism of established religion and government. His most famous work, カンディード, is a satirical novel that explores themes of optimism and the human condition. Throughout his life, ヴォルテール championed freedom of speech and separation of church and state. He was a prolific writer, producing plays, essays, and historical works. His ideas significantly influenced the development of modern democratic thought and the principles of the アメリカ独立宣言 and the フランス革命.