1. The Enlightenment and Scientific Revolution
Hey Europe, wake up!

2. What is your worldview?
In the next 20 minutes, decide what your “worldview” is
Write it down in your notebook and then once you think you have it….
Take a piece of construction paper and make a bumpersticker
Think about the “FONT”
Are there any accompanying visuals?

3. Ancient “Worldview” – held until early modern era
Renaissance NeoPlatonism (based on the teachings of Plato) – originated with Renaissance humanists
Plato’s beliefs were in a dualistic world, a world a spirits (ideal forms) and a world of shadows (material copies)
The changeless world of spirit (forms) that is the true reality – although we do not have knowledge of this
Math could unlock the “true” nature of God/Cosmos
New awareness of Plato’s writing when viewed through lens of Christianity. Belief in the idea that God created man to shape its own definition in this universe.
The center of neoplatonism was Florence.
Begin to see the world around humans as good: not just a waiting room for the afterlife.

4. Ancient “Worldview” – held until early modern era
Hermeticism – natural world was alive with latent power
Spirits of the world could be explored through magic and math
The “levels” of existence are all affected by each other – physical, emotional, spiritual .
Hermeticism is associated with practices of alchemy – trying to perfect matter through chemical reactions, astrology –reading the planets and stars for metaphorical signs, theurgy – godly magics (both black and white)

5. Most Important to the pre-Sci Rev/Enlightenment
Aristotelian view – motionless earth is fixed at the center of the universe
There are ten, separate transparent crystal spheres embedded within
Beyond 10th sphere was Heaven, God’s throne and souls of the saved
Angels keep everything moving

7. Cogito Ergo Sum
Descartes was an early philosopher of the Scientific Revolution (late 16th/early 17th centuries)
His era was one of revolution in that mathematics and science were becoming more prominent – many formerly held beliefs were put into question for the first time
His philosophy focuses on finding the “truth”:
He doubts what he knows, how he knows what he knows (his senses), and is left only with the comfort that he knows he’s thinking, so he’s at LEAST a mind in a vat.
He makes a leap from knowing HE exists to the idea that God must exist because God is good and would not create an illusory world

9. The Social Contract
Compare and Contrast Locke’s and Hobbes’ views of society
Who do YOU agree with more? Why? – explain in light of your personal beliefs on society, government, etc.

10. Toward an Enlightened View
Let’s start with Mr. Farley’s most favorite Enlightenment philosopher, Immanuel Kant and his essay on, “What is Enlightenment?”
Prussian genius
Practical reason when it comes to morality
Thought republics based on constitutions were ideal
The death of dogma is the birth of morality.

11. Sapere AUDE/Dare to Know
Epistemology – study of knowledge
Reestablish a foundation for knowledge after skepticism
Mind structures reality which means that while we can never have real experience of reality outside the human mind, we can know our experiences are real and follow the laws that structure of the universe, therefore we can trust our senses.
Defending knowledge against David Hume, an earlier philosopher from Scotland, that questioned whether even the sun would rise tomorrow. We have no foundation for any of our knowledge. He takes Locke’s idea of the Tabula Rasa and makes it relate to EVERYTHING WE KNOW (what a bummer)