Denis Diderot

About Denis Diderot

Denis Diderot (1713–1784) was a central figure of the French Enlightenment, best known as the chief editor and a primary contributor to the monumental Encyclopédie. This massive collaborative work aimed to compile all human knowledge, making it accessible and challenging traditional authority, which cemented his high historical importance, reflected in his Pantheon HPI Rank of #491. As a philosopher and writer, his efforts were foundational to the dissemination of rationalist thought that fueled subsequent revolutions.

Diderot's contemporary historical weight does not fully translate to the modern internet; he received 218K annualized Wikipedia views in 2025. This places his online attention remarkably close to his historical ranking, resulting in an Attention Gap of approximately 1x, suggesting a relatively balanced recognition compared to the broader historical pool. However, this figure is notably less viewed than many contemporaries, such as writer Umberto Eco (#673 importance), who commanded 425K views, despite Diderot's higher historical ranking.

Furthermore, the slight decline in interest-a -3.7% year-over-year change and a -4% drop in momentum from Q1 to Q3 2025-suggests that his already modest digital presence is slowly diminishing in the current digital landscape.