Benjamin Franklin was a person of reason. While that term has a variety of meanings as it is applied by various American authors, as Franklin employed it, "reason" meant the application of empirical criteria to the formulation of a conclusion in any argument. In general, he shared the misgivings of many other "dissenters" on points of religion, adopting the five or six principles of Deism as the foundation for any religious belief system.

Franklin is equally distinguished as a private citizen, a statesman, and as a scientist. The Autobiography identifies various contributions that he made to his community, his country, and to the advancement of knowledge.