Joseph Joubert was a French philosopher born on May 7, 1754 in Montignac, Perigord.  He was sent to the study law as Toulouse but he joined he Doctrinaires after few months only. It was a teaching order and he was entrusted with the lower classes to instruct them. But later he left it and headed for Paris. He connected himself with the literary society there and associated with the likes of d’Alembert, Diderot and Marmontel. He followed the sentiments of sympathy due to their influence but the French Revolution changed him to a strong antagonist of doctrines of eighteenth century.

He served for two years as the Justice of the peace of the Canton of Montignac from 1790 and came back to Paris. In the year 1793 he married to Mlle Moreau and retired to Villeneuve-le-Roi appalled by the oppression of Revolutionists. He was appointed as the Inspector General of the University of France by Fontanes in 1809. He gave up his duties after he was compelled to leave inspectorships and dedicated his time in literary works and his son’s education.

He was one of the forerunners who not only understood the romanticism but also encouraged it. He had a very kind temperament and cheerful character which had strapping influence among the youths. He aimed at perfection in literature and wrote very modest but never got them published. In his leisure times he thought about the beauty, utility and necessity of virtue and penned them for himself mostly in aphoristic style. He called these papiers de la malle which meant scraps of paper but the diplomat Chateaubriand admired his works and selected few of them to be published for private selection with the title of ‘Recueil des Pensees de M. Joubert’(collected thoughts of Mr. Joubert) in 1838. His Nephew, Paul Raynal, re-edited many editions with the title of ‘Pensees, Essais, Maximes et correspondanee de J. Joubert’ in 1842 popularly known as Pensees. Later his works were translated in various languages. He died on May 4, 1824 in Villeneuve-sur-Yonne.

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