Robert G IngersollRobert G. Ingersoll (1833-1899), known as "The Great Agnostic," celebrated Paine as a prophet of freedom and rational inquiry. In his lectures and essays, Ingersoll defended Common Sense and its author against centuries of vilification, insisting tha Paine's fearless advocacy of independence and human rights laid the groundwork for both American democracy and modern free thought. Read More Read Less