Philosophers from France

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Frenchs Philosophers of all time. This list of famous Frenchs Philosophers is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography's online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Frenchs Philosophers.

1. #1

   

   René Descartes

   1596 - 1650

   HPI 92.12178 langs

   René Descartes is most famous for his philosophical statement, "I think, therefore I am."

2. #2

   

   Montesquieu

   1689 - 1755

   HPI 87.46104 langs

   Montesquieu is most famous for his work "The Spirit of the Laws," which is considered to be one of the most influential works in the history...Read moreShow less

   Montesquieu is most famous for his work "The Spirit of the Laws," which is considered to be one of the most influential works in the history of political philosophy.

3. #3

   

   Auguste Comte

   1798 - 1857

   HPI 85.4397 langs

   Auguste Comte is most famous for his positivist philosophy, which states that the only true knowledge is scientific knowledge.

4. #4

   

   Michel de Montaigne

   1533 - 1592

   HPI 83.6687 langs

   Michel de Montaigne is most famous for his essays, which are written in a personal and informal style.

5. #5

   

   Michel Foucault

   1926 - 1984

   HPI 82.5993 langs

   Michel Foucault is most famous for his work on the history of society and the human sciences.

6. #6

   

   Henri Bergson

   1859 - 1941

   HPI 82.2296 langs

   Henri Bergson was a French philosopher who wrote about the nature of time and consciousness. His most famous work is "Creative Evolution."

7. #7

   

   Peter Abelard

   1079 - 1142

   HPI 80.6374 langs

   Peter Abelard is most famous for his work as a philosopher and theologian in the 12th century. He was also a poet, mathematician, and a...Read moreShow less

   Peter Abelard is most famous for his work as a philosopher and theologian in the 12th century. He was also a poet, mathematician, and a leading figure in the medieval intellectual movement known as scholasticism.

8. #8

   

   Roland Barthes

   1915 - 1980

   HPI 80.2667 langs

   Roland Barthes is most famous for his book "The Death of the Author." In this book, he argues that the author's intention is not the final...Read moreShow less

   Roland Barthes is most famous for his book "The Death of the Author." In this book, he argues that the author's intention is not the final word on a text. Rather, the text should be interpreted and analyzed from the perspective of the reader.

9. #9

   

   Pierre-Joseph Proudhon

   1809 - 1865

   HPI 79.1275 langs

   Proudhon was a French socialist and anarchist who was most famous for his work What is Property? or, an Inquiry into the Principle of Right...Read moreShow less

   Proudhon was a French socialist and anarchist who was most famous for his work What is Property? or, an Inquiry into the Principle of Right and of Government.

10. #10

    

    Jean Bodin

    1530 - 1596

    HPI 78.7753 langs

    Jean Bodin is most famous for his book, The Six Books of the Republic, which is a treatise on the best form of government.