1. Age of Reason Deism and American Political Reason

2. Definition of Deism Deism: “Trend of religious thought, characterized by belief in the existence of a God who rules natural phenomena by established laws, not by miracles, and in a the rational nature of men, who are capable of understanding these laws and of guiding their lives by them” (Cambridge Companion to American Lit. 166). Deism: “Trend of religious thought, characterized by belief in the existence of a God who rules natural phenomena by established laws, not by miracles, and in a the rational nature of men, who are capable of understanding these laws and of guiding their lives by them” (Cambridge Companion to American Lit. 166).

3. Development of Deism Protest against Calvinism Protest against Calvinism Attempt to reconcile religious belief with scientific thought (Ex. Planet of the Apes) Attempt to reconcile religious belief with scientific thought (Ex. Planet of the Apes)

4. Age of Reason What was Paine’s motive for writing Age of Reason? What was Paine’s motive for writing Age of Reason? What are Paine’s “articles,” so to speak, of his faith? What are Paine’s “articles,” so to speak, of his faith? –One God –Equality of Man –Doing justice –Loving mercy –Endeavoring to make our fellow-creatures happy What other documents in American Literature do these articles remind you of? What other documents in American Literature do these articles remind you of?

5. Mode of Argumentation How does Paine attempt to persuade his audience? What is his mode of argumentation? How does Paine attempt to persuade his audience? What is his mode of argumentation? –Indicates his belief by explaining what he does not believe. Why does he do this? –Does not believe in any formal church dogma The worst a “man” can do is “profess to believe what he does not believe” (948). The worst a “man” can do is “profess to believe what he does not believe” (948). What kind of principle is he attempting to establish in this statement? What kind of principle is he attempting to establish in this statement?

6. Quotes “Affix right ideas to words” “Affix right ideas to words” –John Dryden (1631-1700), “The Author’s Apology for Heroic Poetry and Heroic License”: “[Wit] is propriety of thoughts and words; or in other terms, thought and words elegantly adapted to the subject” (Norton 5 th Ed. 1848). “They [the Ten Commandments] contain some good moral precepts such as any man qualified to be a lawgiver or a legislator could produce himself, without having recourse to supernatural intervention” (950). “They [the Ten Commandments] contain some good moral precepts such as any man qualified to be a lawgiver or a legislator could produce himself, without having recourse to supernatural intervention” (950). “The more unnatural anything is, the more is it capable of becoming the object of dismal admiration” (952). “The more unnatural anything is, the more is it capable of becoming the object of dismal admiration” (952). “It is only in the CREATION that all our ideas and conceptions of a word of God can unite” (952). “It is only in the CREATION that all our ideas and conceptions of a word of God can unite” (952). “As to the learning that any person gains from school education, it serves only, like a small capital, to put him in the way of beginning learning for himself afterwards” (953). “As to the learning that any person gains from school education, it serves only, like a small capital, to put him in the way of beginning learning for himself afterwards” (953).

7. Implications How has Paine’s ideas about science shaped “modernism” as it emerged in America? How has Paine’s ideas about science shaped “modernism” as it emerged in America?