狄德羅（1713～1784），18世紀法國唯物主義哲學傢，美學傢，文學傢，百科全書派代錶人物，第一部法國《百科全書》主編。 狄德羅生於郎格裏。1732年獲得巴黎大學文科碩士學位。他精通意、英等幾國文字，以譯述A.A.C.沙夫茨伯裏的《德性研究》而著稱。狄德羅在主編《百科全書》的25年中，深受F.培根T.霍布斯和J.洛剋等人思想的影響，尤其是培根關於編輯百科全書的思想，促使他堅定地獻身於《百科全書》的事業。狄德羅除主編《百科全書》外，還撰寫瞭大量著作，在他的《哲學思想錄》、《對自然的解釋》、《懷疑者漫步》、《論盲人書簡》、《生理學的基礎》、《拉摩的侄兒》、《關於物質和運動的哲學原理》、《達朗貝爾和狄德羅的談話》、《宿命論者讓·雅剋和他的主人》、《駁斥愛爾維修<論人>的著作》等著作中，錶述瞭他的唯物主義哲學思想；在他的《美之根源及性質的哲學的研究》、《論戲劇藝術》、《談演員》、《繪畫論》、《天纔》等著作中，錶述瞭他的“美在關係”的美學思想。

狄德羅的文學創作有小說《修女》、《拉摩的侄兒》和《宿命論者雅剋和他的主人》。此外，還發錶過一部長篇小說《泄露隱情的首飾》和一些短篇故事，如《他與我》、《蒲保納的兩個朋友》、《這不是小說》等。

'unless you know everything, you really know nothing' Diderot's brilliant and witty dialogue begins with a chance encounter in a Paris cafe between two acquaintances. Their talk ranges broadly across art, music, education, and the contemporary scene, as the nephew of composer Rameau, amoral and bohemian, alternately shocks and amuses the moral, bourgeois figure of his interlocutor. Exuberant and highly entertaining, the dialogue exposes the corruption of society in Diderot's characteristic philosophical exploration. The debates of the French Enlightenment speak to us vividly in this sparkling new translation, which also includes the First Satire , a related work that provides the context for Rameau's Nephew, Diderot's 'second satire'. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.