October 27th, 2011 Deep Thought Question Read this quote by P.J. O’Rourke about government… “Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.” What does this say about government? Do you agree? Why or why not? GET YOUR CLICKER

Random Fact of the Day An average person will eat 35,000 cookies in their life.

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CORE IDEAS OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT

What is a philosophe? A philosophe was a social thinker who could apply reason to all aspects of life Based mostly in France thanks to Paris’s position as the social and intellectual center of Europe

BELIEF #1: REASON Reason – Enlightened thinkers believed truth could be discovered through reason or logical thinking Before this period, what sources had people used to find the truth? The Bible Whatever the Church said Ancient Greek and Roman sources

BELIEF #2: NATURE Nature: The philosophes believed that whatever was natural was also good and reasonable

BELIEF #3: HAPPINESS Happiness: The philosophes rejected the medieval notion that people should find joy in the hereafter and urged people to seek well-being on Earth

BELIEF #4: PROGRESS Progress: The philosophes stressed that society and humankind could improve What things have we studied so far show that humanity has been “progressing?” Inventions, discoveries, etc.? On the other hand, what “bad” and “evil” things have been happening?

BELIEF #5: LIBERTY The philosophes called for the liberties that the English people had won in their Glorious Revolution and Bill of Rights What types of rights were guaranteed in these periods of English history? Free Speech Right to Bear Arms Permanency of Parliament Protection against search and seizure, cruel and unusual punishment, etc.

Question… WHICH OF THESE CORE BELIEFS OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT IS IN YOUR OPINION THE MOST RELEVANT IN OUR SOCIETY TODAY? REASON NATURE HAPPINESS PROGRESS LIBERTY

ENLIGHTENMENT THINKERS GUIDED NOTES

Thomas Hobbes Lived and learned through the English Civil War People are by nature dishonest, cruel, greedy, selfish, and wicked. Without government, life would be short People should enter a social contract with their government so the gov’t can provide law and order The government should be ruled by an absolute monarch

John Locke Believes that people have the ability to govern themselves and learn from their mistakes People are born free with natural rights of life, liberty, and property People should give some of their rights up to allow a government to rule for them, so the government can protect the people If government does not protect rights, the people have the right to overthrow the government

Clicker Question What should people do to a government if they fail to protect their three basic rights? Suffer through them and elect a new one come Election Day Overthrow, or reelect, the parts of government which are the worst Overthrow the government and start over

Voltaire Used sarcasm to attack his foes Believed in freedom of speech and expression and despised intolerance, prejudice, and superstition A huge opponent of organized religion, such as the Catholic Church “I do not agree with a word you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it.”

Jean Jacques Rousseau Thinks that civilization ruins the natural goodness in people The only good form of government was one formed by the people – direct democracy…no kings or queens People should give up some of their basic freedoms for the sake of the common good All people should be equal in society

Clicker Question Voltaire believes in what freedom? Freedom of Speech Freedom of Religion Freedom of the Press Right to Bear Arms

The Baron de Montesquieu In his day, he believed the British form of government was best Advocated for three branches of government…saw the danger in one ruler having too much power The Founding Fathers took from his idea of branches of government while drafting the Constitution

Clicker Question How are Montesquieu’s ideas visible in our government? Split between federal and state government Term limits for elected officials A two-house legislature Three branches of government

Cesare Beccaria Laws should not be used to avenge crimes but to preserve social order Wrote about the judicial branch of government Government should seek to do the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people