1. The Age of Enlightenment
or The Age of Reason
Ch 18: The Age of Enlightenment: 18th Century Thought

2. Focus Question
What intellectual developments led to the emergence of the Enlightenment?
What is the Enlightenment?

3. FYI’s
Staying after school? Please get here by 2:45 because I have a meeting
ID quiz today!
Tomorrow  I won’t be here, please be here on time because Ms. Kelley will be taking attendance
Bring books tomorrow!

4. Introduction

5. What is Enlightenment?
“Enlightenment is man’s emergence from his self-imposed immaturity. Immaturity is the inability to use one’s understanding without guidance from another. This immaturity is self-imposed when its cause lies not in lack of understanding, but in lack of resolve and courage to use it without guidance from another. Sapere Aude! ‘Have courage to use your own understanding!’…that is the motto of enlightenment.”
—Immanuel Kant

6. The Enlightenment was an extension of the Scientific Revolution

7. It took place against the backdrop of the various European Wars, including:
The War of Spanish Succession
The War of Austrian Succession
The Seven Years War

8. These terrible wars, with their excessive death tolls, only added evidence to the claims of Enlightenment Philosophers

9. Human beings should be rational… and not kill each other.

10. The Enlightenment was the belief that humankind will advance over time.

11. That better things were to come. . .

12. This was different than the prior belief that the times of the Ancients, Greece, Rome, and Biblical times had never and would never be surpassed

13. Science had helped to end Witchcraft and superstition

14. The ideas of science collided with the idea of God

15. Perhaps God was not so personal
Perhaps God was not so personal. Perhaps he was an intelligent creator who let events unfold.

16. Many saw God as a “Watchmaker”—who wound the watch up and let it run without interfering…this was called deism.

17. ..leaving human beings the freedom to govern themselves.

18. Rather than focus on the afterlife, humans should focus on success and happiness here and now

19. Enlightenment thinkers denied the validity of the Divine Right of Kings

21. During this exciting time, some tried a greater commitment to religion
During this exciting time, some tried a greater commitment to religion. In England, Handel wrote his great Messiah…

22. and John Wesley founded the Methodists. He preached in America
and John Wesley founded the Methodists. He preached in America. This religious agitation was part of the Great Awakening.

23. The Great Awakening is a part of American history, also.

24. The elite in society were not part of these upsets—they aligned themselves with the official churches: Anglican, Lutheran or Catholic.

25. At the same time, strange ideas also arose…these ideas were “fads” or areas of mystery.

26. J.C. Lavater spoke of physiognomy.

27. And F.A. Mesmer “mesmerized” people.

28. The ideas of Freemasonry took form in England and Colonial America.

29. The masons met secretly, had rituals, and, some said, had secret knowledge about ancient rites.

30. The Masons were very popular among all walks of life
The Masons were very popular among all walks of life. Even though they were a “secret” society, they met to discuss many enlightenment concepts.

31. But of all these groups, the most enlightened and influential were the Philosophes.

32. Philosophes were men who were writers, literary critics, well-known figures who popularized the ideas of the enlightenment.

33. We can even consider that Frederick the Great, Catherine the Great, and Joseph of Austria were also “philosophes” as they advocated the ideas of the enlightenment.

34. A philosphe wrote and stirred the pot of new ideas.

35. Ideas were spread through books and pamphlets

36. Their audience was the informed public from all classes
Their audience was the informed public from all classes. They had a lot to say about the flaws of society and how to make it better.

37. They discussed their ideas in coffee houses…

38. Pubs…

39. Paris was the heart of this new movement.

40. And women provided the meeting places in their elegant salons.

41. The salons were legendary…intelligent women provided a setting for the philosophes to meet and discuss the challenges of the day.

42. Of course, it helped if the women were charming and witty.

43. They met on certain days of the week and discussed a variety of subjects.

44. In the salons, talent and creativity counted more than noble lineage.

45. In aristocratic circles, Society was still mainly concerned about appearances. The elaborate parties codified etiquette. Wit became most important. Guests competed to say the most erudite and witty comment. If they said something “wrong” they were openly ridiculed!

46. And one of the great ironies of these salons is that many revolutionary ideas would find their roots in these discussions.

47. The most famous achievement of the Enlightenment was the Encyclopedia.

48. The Encyclopedia is different than what we have on the shelves of our library today…
The Encyclopedia came to be a set of 17 very large volumes published between 1751 and 1772.

49. The publisher was a Denis Diderot.

50. The Encyclopedia had articles on everything from philosophy to bone-setting to making gears!

52. The goal of the Encyclopedia was to make available all the current up-to-date technological, cultural, and philosophical knowledge of the day.

53. It was unique because it was purchased by people from all over Europe
It was unique because it was purchased by people from all over Europe. Even small towns had at least one copy.

54. The information was shared, improved upon, and widely discussed: People were enlightened by its knowledge.