Voltaire's Worldview: A study of An Essay on Universal History, the Manners, and Spirit of Nations

本論文擬以伏爾泰（Voltaire 1694-1778）的《風俗論—論各民族的精神與風俗以及自查理曼至路易十三的歷史》（簡稱《風俗論》）作為主要資料，參以伏爾泰其他著作，如：《路易十四時代》、《哲學通信》等文集，構建伏爾泰筆下的「世界」，並從中瞭解伏爾泰之歷史觀點及當代各國民俗之取得，進而闡述十八世紀西方世界史的寫作方法、取徑與世界觀的形成。This thesis will focus on Voltaire’s An Essay on Universal History, the Manners, and Spirit of Nations to figure out how Voltaire shaped his conception of the “World”, trying to depict his views about how to write the history. What is the meaning of the “World” in the mind of Voltaire? What kind of material did he acquire to describe the “mind” and “manners” of the European countries and others? What is his historical thought? All of the answer to those questions could help us to understand the concept about how to write the “world history” and the “Weltanschauung” in 18th century Europe