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.