Modern atheism did not begin until the Enlightenment. The [[French Revolution]] also had an effect on the spread of atheism in [[Europe]].<ref>http://www.investigatingatheism.info/historyeighteenth.html</ref> Baron D'Holbach's book ''The System of Nature'' was the first publication which explicitly denied the existence of God. Other atheists from this time included the philosopher [[David Hume]]. Others denied being atheists (heresy and blasphemy were capital offences) but held materialistic, empiricist, broadly deistic views; these include [[Voltaire]], [[Thomas Hobbes]], [[Thomas Paine]], [[John Locke]], [[Immanuel Kant]] and [[Benjamin Franklin]]. | Modern atheism did not begin until the Enlightenment. The [[French Revolution]] also had an effect on the spread of atheism in [[Europe]].<ref>http://www.investigatingatheism.info/historyeighteenth.html</ref> Baron D'Holbach's book ''The System of Nature'' was the first publication which explicitly denied the existence of God. Other atheists from this time included the philosopher [[David Hume]]. Others denied being atheists (heresy and blasphemy were capital offences) but held materialistic, empiricist, broadly deistic views; these include [[Voltaire]], [[Thomas Hobbes]], [[Thomas Paine]], [[John Locke]], [[Immanuel Kant]] and [[Benjamin Franklin]]. |