Rameau's Nephew was written by French philosopher Denis Diderot between 1761 and 1764. It is an imagined dialogue between a narrator (referred to as "Moi") and an interlocutor named "Lui." The narrator (who is not necessarily Diderot himself), explains that his interlocutor is

the nephew of the famous musician who delivered us from the plain song of Lully, which we've been chanting for more than a century, and who wrote so much unintelligible and visionary stuff and apocalyptic truths about the theory of music, none of which ever made sense either to him or to anyone else. (3)

He prefers to live the life of a sycophant, exploiting the wealthy, but without a specific initiative to achieve respectable wealth or a family of his own.

The narrator is a philosopher, known by Rameau's nephew's comment "so there you are, Mister Philosopher" (4). The two meet in a cafe, and "Moi" (the narrator) encourages his interlocutor to apologize to those of whom he has taken advantage, and as for their pardon. "Moi" rejects the cynicism of "Lui" and maintains that his life of writing, and raising his daughter with a traditional education in grammar and history is a fulfilling one.

The two characters are foils for one another, and, despite the narrator's role being the more conventional one, neither emerges as the decided winner. This calls into question the traditional value system that the narrator's lifestyle represents.