Mitia Rioux Beaulne

Mitia Rioux Beaulne is an Associate Professor at the Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Université de Montréal. He also holds a position at the University of Ottawa since 2007. His research focuses on two central aspects of French Enlightenment thought: the theory of imagination as a cognitive faculty, productive force, and ethical influence, and the conception of historical progress tied to knowledge development and societal advancement. He has led major research projects like Leibniz et Diderot (2022–2027), funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC/CRSH).

Research Expertise includes Philosophy of the Enlightenment, Theory of Knowledge, Epistemology, Philosophy of Science, and History of Political Ideas. His work spans 17th–18th century French intellectual history, with notable contributions to understanding Diderot’s Encyclopédie and Enlightenment-era academies.

Grants & Projects: Current SSHRC project explores Leibniz-Diderot intellectual exchanges. Prior projects include studies on clandestine literature, Cartesianism, and Fontenelle’s influence. He co-edits Philosophiques, a leading French-language philosophy journal.

Labs/Teams: Active in interdisciplinary research networks linking philosophy, literature, and history. Collaborates with international scholars on Enlightenment studies through conferences and editorial work.