sentences:  "The Preliminary Discourse to the Encyclopedia of Diderot" is arguably one of the best introductions to the French Enlightenment, giving forth the idea that man possesses the capability, through his own intelligence and analysis, to alter the conditions of human life.The "Encyclopedia" constituted a demand of the intellectual community for a refinement of all of the branches of knowledge in reference to past and recent discoveries.Such a compilation of human knowledge would be both secular and naturalistic, discrediting theology as the primary basis.