The Enlightenment

•Background•Key People•Key Ideas•Relevance

Modern thinkers/artists who help to shape and challenge societal acceptances

Background

• Named in mid-18th century• Movement of thinkers not confined to one

area or line of thinking• Enlightenment provides basic assumptions,

values and attitudes of modern history- the ‘West’

• The values of human rights and individuality expressed then and now- roots in Enlightenment

What was Enlightenment?

• Principals taught and explored were identified as ‘enlightened…’

• Applied methods of modern science and re-definition– Methods sought to understand human

nature, society and politics• Renaissance started inquiry of and

experimenting of natural phenomena• Belief that universe worked via natural

laws- not supernatural

Renaissance to Enlightenment

• From sciences, ideas of nature surfaced- – study not only gravity or the circulatory

system, but also human behavior• New sciences of psychology and politics

were developed- – Social Sciences; political science, geography,

sociology, history, civics, economics, etc…• Advocates of Enlightenment claim

governing laws dictate human nature, society and politics

Philosophes

• French for philosophers- a bit overused• Loosely united group who shared attitudes

towards society• Saw themselves as critics and reformers• Opposed supposed ‘truths’ of Christianity

– Some atheist, but others saw truth in Godliness and spirituality

• Attempted to find truth in God with an explanation to the natural world

• Believed in divine governance– God transcended Christianity, found in all world religions

Cultural Hearth of Enlightenment

• Glorious Revolution provided English w/ new freedoms- envied by Philosophes in authoritative France

• Paris became cultural hub of European society• Salons- social gatherings in parlors- hosted by wealthy

women of Parisian prestige• Salons would be opportunity for men and women to speak

w/out hushed tones• Poems read/discussed; music pieces played; literature

read/discussed• Individuals used Salons to show breadth of knowledge and

challenge preconceived ideas

Elements of Enlightenment

• Enlightened Philosophes and supporters urged the use of:

– Reason: absence of intolerance, bigotry or prejudice in one’s thinking; beliefs should be rational and free of biases

– Nature: natural laws exist w/out man’s creation; what was natural was good and reasonable

– Happiness: a person who lives by nature’s law finds happiness; argued against medieval notion that people should accept misery as part of life’s circle; Philosophes believed in well-being on earth

– Progress: Philosophes believed individuals could seek perfection and in return, society seek perfection; looked at human being as capable of progress, making something better

– Liberty: freedoms should not be merely granted, but expected; beliefs that we are born with liberties in nature

Enlightened Thinkers

• John Locke (1632-1704)– Studied human reason, rationale– Used empirical studies to interpret human

behavior– Individuals are autonomous-

• no longer dependent on Church or King to make decisions

– Each person free to decide personal matter– Each person free to decide matters of the state

• Opposes absolute ideas of governance

Philosophes Cont’

• Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)– Believed in human independence

and political liberty– Impacted both thought and social

behavior– Concerned himself w/ nature of

morality and definition and need for liberty

– Argued that real source of power came from legitimate authority

– Legitimate meant an agreement between government and those being governed

– Believed in an education system that would produce citizens, capable of partaking in society

Philosophes Cont’

• The Marquis Antoine de Condorcet (1743-1794)– Acquisition of knowledge led to better society, better

human spirit– History is progress of human mind and betterment– French Revolution illustrated strength of ideas of liberty

and equality– Believed the period after Fr. Rev would be limitless

advancement of man and ideas– Argued that education should promote liberal principles

in hopes of improving man

Philosophes Cont’

• Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)– Concerned with moral law and autonomy of will– Freedom was/is autonomy– Laws necessary for freedom’s continued

existence- conditions (laws) that combined one man’s freedoms to another’s

– Man’s actions a result of reason- internal law of right and wrong

– Every action should and reaction should not hamper another’s right of existence- use principles of morality

– Stressed equality before the law, rights of man and enlightened education

In Conclusion

• The Enlightenment birthed two revolutions imperative to Western Civilization:– American Revolution– French Revolution

• The Enlightenment created an outlet for intellectuals/educated to openly debate issues w/in society

• This era allowed for a greater sense of ‘universalism’ where peoples did not live for their own sake, but sought betterment for others