Post on 14-Jan-2016
transcript
UNIT 7
Enlightenment
Pre Notes
In a way, the Enlightenment was like a 2nd Renaissance—changed way of thinking but politically rather than socially
Part 1 The Enlightenment Reading Assignment pg. 462-466, 552-560 and 564-575
Enlightenment (1750+) vs. Traditional thoughtdemolish Aristotelian (he thought the sun and planets revolved around the
Earth) medieval science= Greek philosophers and scientists
The philosophy of the Enlightenment grew out of the _Scientific__ _Revolution__
If people used laws to govern science, why not use reason to discover natural laws= laws that govern human nature
uncertainty of religious truthinfluence of travel literature on non-European lands
& cultures
Traditional thought included the ideas of Thomas Hobbes 1588-1679: 1. *Hobbes believed people were naturally cruel, greedy,
and selfish. Life in a “state of nature” or without laws would be nasty, brutal and short— caveman (Pathleothic) daysAg. Rev.
2. *Hobbes said people had entered a social contract…agreement where ppl five up their state of nature for the good of an organized society
3. Hobbes said people give up their state of nature for an organized society= government (law)
4. Hobbes said the best government was an Absolute Monarchy___ or a _dictatorship___.
5. wrote the book _Leviathon_____. Famous quote, “The dangers of anarchy are greater than those of tyranny.”
Formative Influences/*Two most important influences were _Newton___ and _Locke___
Isaac Newton (Anglican) – 1642-1727— best known for his laws of science; he did much else.
approach the study of nature directly and to avoid metaphysics and supernaturalism
methods of natural science could and should be used to examine and understand all aspects of life
i. reason-scientific way of thinkingscientific method was capable of discovering the laws
of human society as well as those of nature (psychology & sociology)
John Locke – 1632-1704*An Essay Concerning Human Understanding – all
humans enter the world a blank page (clean _slate_) (Tabula Rusa)
personality is a product of the sensations that impinge on an individual from the external world throughout his or her life
experience and only experience shapes characterhuman nature is changeable and can be molded by
modifying the surrounding physical and social environment
human beings could take charge of their own destiny
First Treatise of Government and Second Treatise of Government a. John Locke believed people were moral and reasonable b. Locke believed people had natural rights= rights that belong to all
humans from birth c. these natural rights included life, liberty, and property. d. Locke rejected an _absolute___ monarchy and favored a _democracy_
and _limited___ government. i. Locke believed that the government has an obligation to the people. If the government fails to meet the people’s needs, or violates their natural rights they can overthrow it. ii. *Locke’s ideas would lead to the American Revolution. 3. Letter Concerning Toleration: Locke said . . . Religious liberty in separation of state needs to be used
Example of British Toleration Especially noted after 1688= Glorious Revolutionfreer than any other European nations*examples of toleration
England permitted religious toleration to everyone but Unitarians and Roman Catholics
Relative freedom of ____speech______ and ___press___. Authority of the monarchy was limited; Parliament exercised
much control. Parliament elected their own leader the Prime Minister.
Domestic economy of Great Britain was the least regulated. E. *The Enlightenment flourished in a print
culture
Philosophes= lovers of wisdom *The writers and critics who forged the new attitudes favorable
to change, who championed reform, and who flourished in the emerging print culture
they sought to apply the rules of reason and common sense to nearly all the major institutions and social practices of the day
supported the economic growth, the expansion of trade, and the improvement of transport, and enlarging the middle class
they worked to expose contemporary social and political abuses and argued that reform was necessary and possible
the chief bond was their common desire to reform thought, society, and government for the sake of human liberty
delivered their message through books, pamphlets, plays, novels, philosophical treatises, encyclopedias, newspapers, and magazines.
The philosophes complained that the churches hindered the pursuit of a rational life and the scientific study of humanity and nature
according to the doctrine of original sin, Protestant and Catholic, meaningful improvement in human nature on earth was impossible
hated Calvinists’ doctrine of predestination =the belief that God long ago determined who goes to heaven
*philosophes criticized the Christian church for:
inciting wars doctrinal disputes and _intolerance___. encouraging more concern with the _afterlife___ than with life on
earth. teaching that humans were fundamentally __sinful_____.
Deism (a religion apart from Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, etc)=
thought that the God who had created nature must also be rational, and the religion through which that God was worshiped should be rational. The life of religion and of reason could be combined. God created the universe and allowed it to function without interference according to the mechanisms of nature.
*two major points in the deist’s creed.a belief in the existence of a _rational__ Goda belief in life after death based on the virtue of the lives people led on Earth1. religious toleration was a primary social condition for
a virtuous life
The Philosophes and Their IdeasFrancois Marie Arouet (Voltaire) – 1694-1778—from
France (Voltaire is most known for Freedom of Speech)
*Letters on the English – praised the virtues of the English and indirectly criticized the abuses of French society—unfair tax system & they used absolute monarchy
*Candide – attacked war, religious persecution, & human condition
Philosophical Dictionary – pointed out inconsistencies in biblical narratives and immoral acts of the biblical heroes
a. essay challenged the Catholic Church and Christian theology
4. (disregard this number)
Denis Diderot – 1713-1784 & Jean le Rond d’Alembert – 1717-1783—from Fr.
*Encyclopedia – a collective plea for freedom of expression included critical ideas of the time on religion, gov’t., & philosophy science and the industrial arts were exalted, religion and
immortality questioned. Intolerance, legal injustice, and out-of-date institutions were openly criticized.
Greater knowledge would result in greater human happiness. Knowledge was useful and made possible economic, social, and
political progress. included important articles and illustrations on manufacturing,
canal building, ship construction, and improved agriculture 2. *the Encyclopedia was not written entirely by Denis Diderot and
Jean le Rond d’Alembert./French gov’t. put a ban on the encyclopedia
Charles Louis de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu – 1689-1755 = lawyer, noble of the robe (from Fr.), and a member of a provincial parlement.
The Persians’ Letters = criticized existing European practices and beliefs *The Spirit of Laws = comparative study of republics, monarchies, and
despotisms forms of government were related to history, geography, and customs there could be no single set of political laws that applied to all peoples at all
times and in all places The best form of government for a country was a monarchy or a republic depends on its size, population, social and religious customs, economic
structure, traditions, and climate Believed in a monarchical government tempered and limited by various sets of
intermediary institutions a. theory on separation of powers = “*power checks power” *division of power in government=checks & balances executive power resided in the king, legislative power in the parliament, and
judicial power in the courts. Any two branches could check and balance the power of the other
Jean-Jacques Rousseau – 1712-1778—from France Discourse on the Moral Effects of the Arts and Sciences *process of civilization and enlightenment had corrupted human
nature (believed in a “blank slate” like Locke) Discourse on the Origin of Inequality *blamed much of the evil in the world on the uneven distribution
of property The Social Contract –came up with the idea “All men are born free, but everywhere they are in chains” society is more important than its individual members believed that the general will must always be right and that to
obey the general will is to be free. general will= best for society the general will is sacred and absolute—“tyranny of majority” justification for direct democracy
Emilemen & women occupy separate sphereswomen should be educated for a position
subordinate to menwomen are to bear and rear childrenwomen are to make themselves pleasing to
meneducation must shield the naturally unspoiled
child from the corrupting influences of civilization and too many books
David Hume – 1711-1776Inquiry into Human Nature no empirical evidence supported the belief in
divine miracles central to much of Christianity.The human mind is really nothing but a bundle of
impressions. Impressions originate only in sense experiences and our habits of joining these experiences together. Since our ideas reflect our sense experiences, our reason cannot tell us anything about questions like the origin of the universe or the existence of God—close to _atheism___.
Baron Paul d’Holbach (atheist)– 1723-1789human beings were machines completely
determined by outside forces*Free will, god, and immortality of the soul were
foolish myths.3. Marie-Therese Geoffrin(1699-1777), Julie de
Lespinasse (1733-1776), Claudine de Tencin (1689-1749) = women that
provided the philosophes an environment in which to circulate their ideas.
Mary Wollstonecraft: (1759-1797)—from England
a. wrote Vindication of the Rights of Women: criticize Rousseau’s views on women; inspiration
for women’s civil rights movement2. salons = an informal social gathering at which
people exchanged ideas about enlightenment, usually hosted by women
Physiocrats*What is a physiocrat?See page G-7
Adam Smith (1723-1790) leader of liberalism—from Scotland, U.K. *Wealth of Nations – book supporting laissez –faire philosophy= limited role for the __government____ in the economy; not an absent role but
limited! favored economic growth through competitive free enterprise *distrusted government and wanted England to end their mercantile
economic system. gov’t should maintain currency, enforce contracts, protect property,
impose low tariffs and taxes *gov’t should maintain and provide schools, roads and enough armed
forces & naval power to protect economic structure and foreign trade. *According to Smith’s four stage theory, human societies move from barbarism to ___civilization_______. B. The most important enlightenment thought came from what
country? France
Part 2 Enlightened Absolutism Reading Assignment pg. 580-589
enlightened absolutism – monarchical government dedicated to the rational strengthening of the central absolutist administration at the cost of other lesser centers of political power
promote a series of religious, legal, or social reforms usually for their own benefit
Frederick II the Great of Prussia – ruled 1740-1786
2. Joseph II of Austria – ruled 1765-1780
3. Catherine the Great of Russia – ruled1762-1796
II. The Partition of Poland:
John Locke