René-Joseph Tournemine

René-Joseph Tournemine (1661-1739) was a French Jesuit theologian and philosopher. He founded the "Mémoires de Trévoux", the Jesuit learned journal published from 1701 to 1767 [http://pagesperso-orange.fr/astrid01/journal_1.htm, in French] , and assailed Nicolas Malebranche with the charges of atheism and Spinozism [ [http://www.history-of-philosophy.com/malebranche.htm Malebranche ] ] [Jonathan Israel, "The Radical Enlightenment" (2001), p. 42.] .

His "Réflexions sur l'athéisme" originated as a preface to the "Traité de l'existence de Dieu" (1713) by Fénelon, and was an effective direct attack on Spinoza; it argued that 'Spinozism' wasn't practically tenable [Israel, p. 299.] .

A debate with Leibniz on the mind-body problem [Brandon Look, "Leibniz and the "Vinculum Substantiale" (1999), pp. 51-63.] was prominent in the period. [R. S. Woolhouse, Richard Francks, "Leibniz's 'New System' and Associated Contemporary Texts" (1997), Chapter 10.]

Tournemine taught the young Voltaire, and became a friend. In correspondence from 1735, however, Voltaire was critical of the Jesuit reception of Newton and Locke. [John W. Yolton, "Locke and French Materialism" (1991), pp. 46-51.]

Notes