- Republic of Letters
Republic of Letters is a phrase describing the phenomenon of increased
correspondence in the form of letters exchanged between the influentialphilosopher s and other thinkers during theAge of Enlightenment . It is commonly used to denote a notion of an imaginaryspace where free thinking people could exchange ideas. The Republic of Letters began as a network of private correspondence and evolved into the more complex and institutionalised system ofnewspaper s andacademic journal s.Recently, the notion of the Republic of Letters has been revived and used to refer to new phenomena, especially those related to the
Internet , which enables even more rapid forms ofcommunication and led to the creation of new discussion networks that function without the intermediary figure of the editor, like those ofUsenet orInternet forum s. However, modern day blogs and other forms of internet debate are not usually discussions between experts on the discussed topics, so the comparison to the Age of Enlightenment Republic of Letters may not be a proper assessment.References
* Goodman, Dena (1994), "The Republic of Letters: A Cultural History of the French Enlightenment." Ithaca NY: Cornell University Press, ISBN 0-8014-2968-4.
ee also
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coffeehouse
*men of letters
* salon
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