The Enlightenment The Enlightenment is one of the few movements in history to name itself Comes from the idea that its followers were more enlightened than other people

Also known as the Age of Reason Gets its birth in scientific advances Many scientists trying to understand the nature of the world Copernicus Kepler Galileo Newton

A Mechanical Universe Enlightenment thinkers in science put forth the idea of a mechanical universe The universe was like a clock, a precise machine that functioned perfectly God built the machine, and when it was finished He set it in motion, and then sat back and let people run things

From Science to Other Areas The Enlightenment found thinkers concentrating in a variety of areas Science – How Does the World Work? Philosophy – How Do We Know What We Know? Sociology – How Do Men Interact With One Another? Politics – What is the role of government? Which system is best?

In Philosophy Skepticism, the idea that everything should be questioned and investigated, begins to lead the search for truth Philosophers begin to doubt what they know is true; this then leads them on a search for truth itself Rene Descartes Blaise Pascal David Hume

In Sociology A number of writers study how societies form and how people interact A prevalent theory is the Social Contract; there are unwritten rules for conduct (the contract) to which we all agree Hobbes and Locke are the biggest names regarding Social Contracts and they have different ideas of what that entails

Thomas Hobbes Hobbes wrote “The Leviathan” in 1651 after seeing the horrors of the English Civil War. He argued that Humans are naturally selfish and wicked and that governments were needed to maintain law and order. He preferred absolute monarchs as they were strong leaders who imposed rules. Social Contract was between the people and the government

John Locke Wrote “Two Treatises on Government” after the Glorious Revolution Locke believed that people learned from experience & were reasonable He criticized absolutism and felt that self-gov’t was best Governments only existed by the consent of the people 3 Natural Rights – life, liberty and property.

In Politics Hobbes’ and Locke’s political theories are seen in their ideas of the Social Contract Rousseau and Montesquieu also enter the argument regarding politics and the nature of government Voltaire used satire to comment on pretty much everything, government, society, religion and even the enlightenment movement itself

Rousseau Big Idea = Personal Freedom He believed that people were naturally free… but that society and civilization takes away that freedom and enslaves man’s original nature He believes society and governments destroy freedom and equality

King=executive, Parliament=legislative, Judges=Judicial Montesquieu Believed that a loss of political liberties leads to collapse of society Big Idea=Separation of Powers (he invented the term) England was his ideal government with 3 branches King=executive, Parliament=legislative, Judges=Judicial (His understanding of the British system was not completely accurate but he was the first to put forth this idea of branches of government)

Voltaire Wrote satire and was not afraid to stir things up Made fun of the clergy, the nobles and the government After being exiled to England- he even mocked French customs/laws Championed tolerance, freedom of religion, and freedom of speech

The Enlightenment in France Although thinkers in any number of countries are considered Enlightenment thinkers, the movement centers in France

The Paris Salons Paris becomes the cultural center of the Enlightenment Salons, like this one, become meeting places for philosophes to discuss politics and ideas

The Philosophes Philosophe is simply the French word for “Philosopher” However, it has come to refer to a separate branch of Enlightenment philosophy

The Importance of Reason Copernicus, Newton, and others had applied reason to the study of science Philosophes believed reason (or logic) could be applied to all areas of life They had five important core concepts to their philosophy

Core Concept #1: Reason Truth could be discovered through logical thinking, or reason Reason included the idea of no intolerance, bigotry, or prejudice in one’s thinking

Core Concept #2: Nature They believed Nature, created by God, was good and reasonable Strong emphasis on Natural Laws, not only in science but in other areas

Core Concept #3: Happiness People who lived by nature’s laws would be happy Did not accept Christian notion of misery here for Paradise hereafter Thought well-being on earth was possible right now

Core Concept #4: Progress Philosophes were the first to believe in progress for society If people used a scientific approach, they believed that humankind could be perfected

Core Concept #5: Liberty Philosophes thought that reason would allow societies to be free Believed that people, if free to choose their own way, would choose the right one in accordance with natural laws

Far-Reaching Effects The Enlightenment, though centered in France, had followers throughout Europe and overseas Perhaps the most lasting impact it has had has been in America Its ideas were gaining power at the same time that colonists were thinking about splitting from England

We Are the Enlightenment’s Legacy The Enlightenment defined what the Founding Fathers and Mothers wanted this nation to become The Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution are considered Enlightenment writings We are, or are supposed to be, a nation built on reason