The Age of Reason Great Enlightenment Thinkers Please Ensure you note the central beliefs of the following thinkers: -Descarte -Montesquieu -Hobbes - Voltaire -Locke - Smith -Rousseau -Mary Wollstonecraft

Great Enlightenment Thinkers Thought-Provoking Question: John Locke, a famous Enlightenment thinker, had ideas about government and human nature, as well as EDUCATION. He believed that the learning of virtue is more important than acquiring knowledge. Locke believed that experience made the greatest teacher. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT LEARNING THE RIGHT THING TO DO IS MORE IMPORTANT IN EDUCATION THAN KNOWLEDGE? WHY OR WHY NOT?

“I think, therefore I am.” The Triumph of Reason As scientists began to make new discoveries, European thinkers began to apply science to society. Using reason could help people understand how to solve human problems and make life better. Example-Descartes Believed that mathematics was the source of all scientific truths because in mathematics the answers were always true. Founded Rationalism-a belief that reason is the chief source of knowledge. “I think, therefore I am.”

The Age of Enlightenment During the Enlightenment, Europeans began to believe that reason was a better guide than faith or tradition. 1700s Political Thinkers applied reason and scientific ideas to government. Natural Law-Laws that were applied to everyone and could be understood by reason.

Locke v. Hobbes John Locke English-studied philosophy and science Greatly influence by the ideas of Descartes Affected by the Glorious Revolution Argued that Natural Law affirms citizen’s rights to make government answer to the people. Wrote the Two Treatises of Government Argued that government should be based on natural rights-life, liberty, and the pursuit of property. Government should be based on social contract-an agreement between rulers and people, if a ruler took away people’s natural rights, the people had a right to revolt and set up a new government.

Locke v. Hobbes English-wrote about government and society. Thomas Hobbes English-wrote about government and society. Strongly affected by the execution of King Charles I. Wrote the Leviathan Argued that Natural law made absolute monarchy the best form of government because people were “nasty, brutish, and short,” they need to obey government and have a leader who would give people direction.

Leviathan can What metaphors are suggested about government within this photo?

Voltaire (1694-1778) During the 1700s, France became a major center of the Enlightenment. He was known for his strong dislike of the Catholic Church. He blamed the church for keeping knowledge from the people to maintain their power. Believed in DEISM-Religion based on reason.

Baron Montesquieu(1689-1755) Believed that England’s government was the best because it had separation of powers. Powers are equally divided among the branches of government.

Adam Smith (1723-1790) Proposed and popularized the idea of laissez faire (leave a lone) government. Believed that labor created wealth. Businesses must be free from government interference in order to achieve increased production, and contribute to the wealth of the nation as a whole. Government must only provide for the defense of the nation, protect citizens and their property, and do those essential services in which private business is unlikely to engage.

Enlightenment and Women The Enlightenment raised questions about the role of women in society. In the 1700s, women thinkers began to call for women’s rights. English writer, Mary Wollstonecraft is considered the founder of the modern movement for women’s rights. She claimed that all humans have reason, because women have reason, they should have the same rights as men. Women should have equal rights in education, workplace, and politics.

Mary Wollstonecraft 1759-1797 British philosopher, author, and feminist Argued women are not naturally inferior to men; they just suffer from lack of educational opportunities

Rousseau (1712-1778) Jean-Jacques Rousseau-claimed that the supporters of the Enlightenment relied too much on reason, instead people should pay more attention to their feelings. Language emerges with great difficulty; society, dependent on language, therefore emerges with difficulty (a great contrast with Hobbes and Locke); The institution of property is the first act of civilization, destroys the state of nature, and lays the basis of the unjust relations of civil society.

Protest of Enlightenment Ideas In Europe, absolute monarchs ruled. They believed that they answered to God, not their people. The Sun King-Louis XIV-Europe’s strongest absolute monarch. Ruled for 72 years, and said, “I am the State.”