“If the triangles made a god, they would give him three sides.”
- January 18, 1689 – February 10, 1755
- French
- Political Philosopher, Jurist, Author of The Spirit of the Laws
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Quote
“If the triangles made a god, they would give him three sides.”
Explanation
Montesquieu uses sharp irony to expose the tendency of people to project their own image and nature onto their conception of the divine. Just as triangles would imagine a god shaped like themselves—three-sided—humans tend to envision gods that mirror their own characteristics, values, and social structures. This quote critiques the anthropocentrism often found in theology and challenges the assumption that human attributes define divinity.
This statement reflects a broader Enlightenment skepticism toward dogmatic religion and theological absolutism. Montesquieu, like many of his contemporaries, did not reject belief altogether, but urged critical thinking and self-awareness about the origins and motives behind religious doctrine. The quote also echoes the ideas of thinkers like Xenophanes, who centuries earlier observed that humans depict gods in their own image.
In the modern era, this insight remains relevant across discussions of religion, culture, and ideology. It reminds us that belief systems often say as much about their followers as they do about the divine, and that humility and introspection are essential in the search for truth. Montesquieu’s wit encourages us to distinguish between universal truths and projections shaped by our own limitations.
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