Eighteenth-century science communication? Exploring the case of Julien Offray de La Mettrie

Julien Offray de La Mettrie (1709–1751), a French physician and philosopher, stands as one ofthe most provocative and systematically marginalized figures of the Enlightenment. Alternatelydiscredited as the radical materialist Monsieur Machine and praised as a visionary medicalreformer, La Mettrie’s career and reputation have been constantly shaped by the ideologicallenses through which he has been read (Cryle, 2006; Jauch, 2012; Wellman, 1992). One aspectof his legacy, however, has received little to no attention yet: his role as popularizer and com-municator of science. To explore this gap, three strands of La Mettrie’s activity are examined:his translation of scientific texts, his satirical engagement with societal and scientific discourse,and his contributions to public health advocacy. Building on the premise that historical strategiesof science popularization can inform contemporary science communication, it is the aim of thisstudy to relate La Mettrie’s approaches to modern concepts, thereby bridging historical analysisand current practice in the field.