Date post: | 14-Apr-2018 |
Category: |
Documents |
Upload: | nicholas-coleman |
View: | 215 times |
Download: | 0 times |
of 10
7/27/2019 10_8__frenchenlightenment
1/10
French Enlightenment Thinkers
7/27/2019 10_8__frenchenlightenment
2/10
Age of Enlightenment (Age of Reason)
Emphasis on Freedom of Thought, Politics, Human
Rights
But it wasnt particularly aprettytime to live in
- Seven Years War
- French Revolution (Reign of Terror)
7/27/2019 10_8__frenchenlightenment
3/10
Franois-Marie d'Arouet
(Voltaire)
Novelist
PlaywrightPhilosopher
Historian
7/27/2019 10_8__frenchenlightenment
4/10
CandideSatirical criticism of Leibnizs doctrine of the best of all possible worlds
Illustrative criticism through storytelling rather than a direct philosophical rebuttal (such as an
essay or treatise)
Characters:
Pangloss: tutor of Candide, follower of Leibnizian optimism
Candide: nave student, eventually disillusioned and led to pessimism
Premise:
An unexposed youth must confront the harsh realities of the world in order to come to terms
with the problem of evil and and individual (and sceptical sense) of the limits of reason
Quotes:
It is demonstrable that things cannot be otherwise than as they are; for as all things have
been created for some end, they must necessarily be created for the best end. Observe, for
instance, the nose is formed for spectacles, therefore we wear spectacles.it was a thing unavoidable, a necessary ingredient in the best of worlds; for if Columbus had
not caught in an island in America this disease, which contaminates the source of generation,
and frequently impedes propagation itself, and is evidently opposed to the great end of nature,
we should have had neither chocolate nor cochineal.
7/27/2019 10_8__frenchenlightenment
5/10
Candide Seven Years War
7/27/2019 10_8__frenchenlightenment
6/10
Candide Lisbon Earthquake + Tsunami
7/27/2019 10_8__frenchenlightenment
7/10
Documentary video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCLc51rj8C0
7/27/2019 10_8__frenchenlightenment
8/10
Jean-Jacques RousseauIs there such a thing as a legitimate political authority?
Correlation between an authoritarian social contract and the relationshipbetween master and slave... citizens must be free and uphold freedom as aprimary value
Every member of the contract sacrifices their rights to uphold the rights ofothers, which in turn builds upon a new form of rights for all members
Duties imposed by all freedom
All members should have the option to leave the contract any time theywish (in essence, to return to a state of nature)
Administration of the Social Contract:
Sovereign (decides upon the General Will, in charge of rules)
Government (deals with enforcement in singular states of affairs)
As much as a single member has the freedom to leave a contract withothers, the entire body of members have the right to rebel and reform theSovereign entity
Leaders of government must be subordinant to the Sovereign (the people)
Direct Democracy vs. Representative Democracy
7/27/2019 10_8__frenchenlightenment
9/10
The Social Contract
(see text)
7/27/2019 10_8__frenchenlightenment
10/10
A Sho rt Survey of Social Con tract Theory
Hobbes (pessimist):
State of Nature: nasty, brutish (i.e., it sucks) because mankind is selfish/survivalistic
Social contract: formed out of necessity for Justice, it must embrace a strong ruler who can maintain fear in
society (which leads to order and safety) autocracy and/or oligarchy
Locke (realist):
State of Nature: mankind is generally well-meaning, but not all of us can be guaranteedsafety and
protection of their property (which they have a right to because of their labor)
Social Contract: necessarily set up to guarantee the protection of ones life, liberty, and property direct
democracy/limited government (checks and balances)
Rousseau (optimist):
State of Nature: ideal and uncorrupting mankind is good by nature and society complicates and/or
corrupts its true potential (by virtue of unrestricted reason)
Social Contract: Borne out of the well-meaning majority for the good of the people, and built to keep
whatever necessary government that exists in check republic/socialism (small city-states)