Philosopher, scientist, and historian Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679) was a key figure in the Britain's transition from medieval to modern thinking.

His masterpiece, Leviathan, established the social contract theory that served as the foundation for most of Western political philosophy, and his view of mankind as essentially self-centered and competitive gave rise to the term "Hobbesian."

Voltaire (1694 1778) was a French man of letters and a leading figure of the Enlightenment, known for his outspokenness and polemical writings.

The philosophical novellas Candide and Zadig are among his most celebrated works.