Enlightenment Web 0

Age of the EnlightenmentAge of the Enlightenment

““Dare to know! Have the courage to use your Dare to know! Have the courage to use your own intelligence”own intelligence”

Words of Immanuel Kant Words of Immanuel Kant

““Human ignorance is not caused by the Human ignorance is not caused by the lack of intelligence but from the “lack of lack of intelligence but from the “lack of determination and courage to use that determination and courage to use that intelligence without another’s guidance.”intelligence without another’s guidance.”

““Sapere aude!”Sapere aude!”

World History TimelineWorld History Timeline

33,000 B.C

to

8000 B.C

Cro-Magnon Man

3200

B.C

3,700,00 B.CAustralopithecus

8350 B.C

Jericho built – 1st walled town

? The Great Flood (Noah)

Money AstronomyMedicineTradeReligionLaw

Egypt &Mesopotamia(Fertile Crescent)

India

2500

B.C

China

1500 BC

300 BC

AD 550

AD 589

2000

B.C

Greece

The Americas

Africa

Rome

AD 146 AD 476

AD 30 Jesus is crucified

AD 570 Muhammed is born

Medieval Europe

AD 1500

Islamic Empire

AD 570AD 1250

AD 1450

Gutenberg’s Printing Press

AD 1517Luther’s Reformation

AD 1619 Jamestown colonists in America

AD 1643

Louis XIV builds Versailles in France

AD 1215

Magna Carta is signed

AD 1776

America Declares Independence

United States of America

AD 1789

French Revolution

AD 1799

Napoleon rules France

AD 1863

American Civil war

AD 1914

WWI

AD 1940

WWII

AD 2001

9/11

AD 0

Enlightenment ThinkersEnlightenment Thinkers

Before the Enlightenment how did Before the Enlightenment how did philosophers view human beings?philosophers view human beings?

Men are born into classes, some are born to Men are born into classes, some are born to rule, some are born to be ruledrule, some are born to be ruled

Men are inferior to God and have no hope of Men are inferior to God and have no hope of improving themselvesimproving themselves

Men are incapable of understanding how the Men are incapable of understanding how the mysteries of the universe worksmysteries of the universe works

18th Century Politics► BRITAIN – Constitutional Monarchy– Constitutional Monarchy

► FRANCE Royal Absolutism Royal Absolutism (cultural and religious (cultural and religious unity)unity)

► PRUSSIA, HABSBURG EMPIRE, RUSSIA “Enlightened Despotism” “Enlightened Despotism”

► OTTOMAN EMPIRE – – traditional traditional empireempire

Age of the EnlightenmentAge of the EnlightenmentThe Renaissance may have opened the door to reason but The Renaissance may have opened the door to reason but had neither the courage nor the power to oppose the had neither the courage nor the power to oppose the medieval concept of faith instead of reason.medieval concept of faith instead of reason.

The leaders of the Enlightenment had that courage and The leaders of the Enlightenment had that courage and power - Descartes in mathematics, Mozart in music, power - Descartes in mathematics, Mozart in music, Rembrandt in painting, and Locke and Rousseau in politics. Rembrandt in painting, and Locke and Rousseau in politics. Revolution was in the airRevolution was in the air

Age of Scientific RevolutionAge of Scientific Revolution

SummarySummary

The Scientific Revolution & the The Scientific Revolution & the Enlightenment challenged and Enlightenment challenged and changed the way people thought changed the way people thought about the world.about the world.


Philosophers influenced by Scientific Philosophers influenced by Scientific RevolutionRevolution

By using the Scientific Method and reason By using the Scientific Method and reason they hoped to figure out ways to improve they hoped to figure out ways to improve conditions for people.conditions for people.


Beginning in the Enlightenment how did Beginning in the Enlightenment how did philosophers view human beings?philosophers view human beings?

Men are born free and equal, and this fact Men are born free and equal, and this fact should be accounted for in gov’tshould be accounted for in gov’t

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I think thereforeI am!

Rene DescartesSums up Enlightenment philosophy

PEOPLE MUST RELY ON THEIR OWN REASON TO UNDERSTAND LIFE AND THE NATURAL ORDER - AND EVERYTHING MUST BE JUDGED BY ASKING WHAT IS HUMANLY REASONABLE

1596-1650

Religion’s Purpose Changes Religion’s Purpose Changes under the Enlightenmentunder the Enlightenment

As people used more and more of their As people used more and more of their reason to understand situations then they reason to understand situations then they need the creator less and lessneed the creator less and less

God might be useful for one's personal life God might be useful for one's personal life but for science, politics, and gov't, human but for science, politics, and gov't, human reason alone will sufficereason alone will suffice

Under the Enlightenment philosophyUnder the Enlightenment philosophy

Men should Men should not not use faith to justify reasonuse faith to justify reason

Instead they shouldInstead they should1.1. Apply reason to the human world, not just the Apply reason to the human world, not just the

natural worldnatural world2.2. Examine and practice religious toleranceExamine and practice religious tolerance3.3. Consider ideas of a democratic revolutionConsider ideas of a democratic revolution

Voltaire Voltaire

1700s defender of 1700s defender of human rights & human rights & reformreform

He is the He is the philosopher who philosopher who advocated advocated religious religious tolerance and the tolerance and the separation of separation of church and statechurch and state



Wait until you hear his story!

Voltaire Voltaire

Separate church and Separate church and statestate

His world imposed arrest and His world imposed arrest and torture upon those citizens who torture upon those citizens who expressed opinions that stood in expressed opinions that stood in opposition to the prevailing opposition to the prevailing religious, social, and political religious, social, and political viewsviews



Wait until you hear his story!

Voltaire 1700s Voltaire 1700s What happened to Voltaire to What happened to Voltaire to

make him want to separate make him want to separate church and state?church and state?

He was a good Catholic He was a good Catholic who felt God was a who felt God was a conscious intelligence that designed the conscious intelligence that designed the world (that was enough for censure from the world (that was enough for censure from the Roman Catholic Church; it was heresy)Roman Catholic Church; it was heresy)

Church said horrendous earthquake in 1755 Church said horrendous earthquake in 1755 was God's judgment on the French peoplewas God's judgment on the French people



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Jerry Falwell

“9-11 was God’s punishment on us because of all the homosexuals”

Voltaire Voltaire Voltaire's then became even Voltaire's then became even

more more anti-Catholicanti-Catholic after Huguenot after Huguenot Jean Calas was tortured and Jean Calas was tortured and executed in 1762executed in 1762



Calas, falsely convicted of having killed his son to prevent him from converting to Catholicism, was tortured by the Catholic authorities in hopes he would confess he was subjected to the question ordinaire: his arms and legs were stretched until they were pulled from their sockets. When he did not confess (his son committed suicide) he was subjected to the question extraordinaire: fifteen pints of water poured down his throat. Calas continued to claim innocence. 15 more pints added, swelling his body to twice normal sizeExecutioner then broke each of his limbs in two places and finally strangled him to death. His corpse was burned at the stake.

Voltaire Voltaire

Voltaire believed passionately in the need to reform Voltaire believed passionately in the need to reform society and to reform the church but he found he society and to reform the church but he found he could not influence the king of France nor the could not influence the king of France nor the church authorities so ....he turned to the common church authorities so ....he turned to the common people, becoming THE LEADING DEFENDER OF people, becoming THE LEADING DEFENDER OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE NEED TO CHANGE HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE NEED TO CHANGE SOCIETYSOCIETY



he flooded Europe with political pamphlets, novels, poems, etc.he criticized the Bible and organized religion which he thought was used to crush any new ideas and used to continue erroneous beliefs in superstition

The result of these incidents? Voltaire will believe strongly in the separation of church and state

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Though it might seem easy, today, to criticize such a passionate emphasis on reason, remember that Voltaire's society tortured people who went against the accepted norm.

WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO PAY THAT PRICE TO CHANGE SOCIETY IN WAYS YOU DEEM NECESSARY?

Voltaire’s “Wisdom” ► Every man is guilty of all the good he Every man is guilty of all the good he didn’t do. didn’t do.

► God is a comedian playing to an audience God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid too afraid to laugh.to laugh.

► If God did not exist, it would be necessary to If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him.invent him.

► It is dangerous to be right when the It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.government is wrong.

► Love truth and pardon error.Love truth and pardon error.

Voltaire’s “Wisdom”

I may not agree with what you have I may not agree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.death your right to say it.

HobbesHobbes

100 years before Voltaire there was a 100 years before Voltaire there was a philosopher named Hobbes who wrote a philosopher named Hobbes who wrote a book called book called LeviathanLeviathan

HobbesHobbes


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HobbesHobbes Years of nasty religious wars and Years of nasty religious wars and

nasty English civil war (500,000 dead)nasty English civil war (500,000 dead) Man in the world is a nasty and brutal Man in the world is a nasty and brutal

beast. beast. He is ruled by selfish interestHe is ruled by selfish interest Society is not safeSociety is not safe





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Hobbes 1600sHobbes 1600s

Hobbes introduced the organizing principle of Hobbes introduced the organizing principle of the social contract (don’t confuse this with another later book called the Social Contract)

SOCIAL CONTRACT SOCIAL CONTRACT says that individual people give up says that individual people give up some of their freedoms/liberties in exchange for the some of their freedoms/liberties in exchange for the protection and benefits of the groupprotection and benefits of the group

Crucial because according to this contract good and evil are according to this contract good and evil are no longer considered in absolute terms, right and wrong are no longer considered in absolute terms, right and wrong are simply determined by the collective decisionsimply determined by the collective decision

He believes an absolute monarchy is necessary for the He believes an absolute monarchy is necessary for the greater good and safety. greater good and safety. An absolute monarchy is the best An absolute monarchy is the best form of gov’t because it ensures everyone is protected and form of gov’t because it ensures everyone is protected and safe from the evil in all mensafe from the evil in all men



Hobbes 1600sHobbes 1600s

The idea that there is a contract between the rulers and The idea that there is a contract between the rulers and the people will hold…the people will hold…

Can you see how this will change the way people think?Can you see how this will change the way people think?



Hobbes 1600sHobbes 1600sHobbes wrote Hobbes wrote LeviathanLeviathan the 1600s the 1600s

100 years later another writer will expand on the idea of a 100 years later another writer will expand on the idea of a social contract…and his ideas will cause the world to social contract…and his ideas will cause the world to explodeexplode

Jean Jacques Rousseau will write in the 1700sJean Jacques Rousseau will write in the 1700s

His book is called His book is called The Social Contract The Social Contract





Rousseau 1700sRousseau 1700s

Age of Age of exploration….Rousseau exploration….Rousseau believes: believes:

Man in nature is a Man in nature is a noble noble savagesavage

His argumentHis argument: The : The Enlightenment's Enlightenment's emphasis on reason and emphasis on reason and science had caused science had caused people to lose more people to lose more freedom than they gainedfreedom than they gained




His belief: : people should people should have absolute freedom - have absolute freedom - freedom not just from culture freedom not just from culture but from authority of any but from authority of any kind ...this means that for kind ...this means that for Rousseau - the individual Rousseau - the individual became the center of the became the center of the universeuniverse




The impact/result: : Rousseau Rousseau rejects the Judeo-Christian rejects the Judeo-Christian concept of original sin and concept of original sin and argued humans are born innocent and pure - it is society that corrupts..






His argument:

A government is a contract between the rulers and the people….and if one party breaks their duty in the contract…..then the other party has a right to change it.




Conclusion individual freedom only secure if there was a "general will" - - this way people would have peer pressure to do the right thing and treat everyone equal

Rousseau’s Philosophy

► Concept of the Concept of the “General Will.”“General Will.” Only those who make their own Only those who make their own

laws are free.laws are free. Virtuous citizens will agree, become Virtuous citizens will agree, become

oneone.. A discussion among the virtuous A discussion among the virtuous

will yield unity.will yield unity.V Dissenters are “forced to be free.”Dissenters are “forced to be free.”V General WillGeneral Will = = law law ++ freedom! freedom!

Rousseau’s Philosophy

Virtue exists in the ”state of Virtue exists in the ”state of nature,” but lost in “society.”nature,” but lost in “society.”

Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.Liberty, Equality, Fraternity. Civil liberty Civil liberty invest ALL invest ALL

rights and liberties into a rights and liberties into a society.society.

But What Does It All Mean?But What Does It All Mean?What is the Big Picture?What is the Big Picture?

Enlightenment philosophy = Enlightenment philosophy = eventually eliminated the need for supernatural beings (oh, poor Gilgamesh) and divine commands (oh, poor Crusaders) while at the same time implicitly eliminating the clear distinctions between humans and other living organisms.

A dehumanization of people has begun

The Characteristics of the Enlightenment

1.1. RationalismRationalism reason is the arbiter of all reason is the arbiter of all things.things.

2.2. Scientific MethodScientific Method

Mathematical analysisMathematical analysis

ExperimentationExperimentation

Inductive reasoning.Inductive reasoning.

33. . UtilitarianismUtilitarianism the greatest good for the the greatest good for the greatest number.greatest number.

4.4. ToleranceTolerance No opinion is worth burning No opinion is worth burning your neighbor for.your neighbor for.

Montesquieu

Another profoundly important philosopher enters the picture…

He believes to avoid abuse of gov’t power then the gov’t should be divided among three branches…

The Baron de Montesquieu

(1689-1755)

► He wrote a He wrote a book called book called On the Spirit of

Laws, 1758, 1758

Montesquieu’s Philosophy

Freedom for the individual Freedom for the individual is the goalis the goal

To achieve this, gov’t needs To achieve this, gov’t needs constitution to guarantee constitution to guarantee the safety and security of the safety and security of the individualthe individual

A separation of political A separation of political powers ensured freedom powers ensured freedom and libertyand liberty



“Inspiring!”

There is another philosopher…There is another philosopher…

John LockeJohn Locke

He believes:He believes:

1.1. The people are sovereign - the right to The people are sovereign - the right to rule and the power lies within the rule and the power lies within the common man - by natural lawcommon man - by natural law

2.2. Monarchs are Monarchs are notnot chosen by God chosen by God

3.3. The purpose of a gov’t is to protect The purpose of a gov’t is to protect man’s right to life, liberty , and propertyman’s right to life, liberty , and property

John Locke’s Philosophy

► There are certain natural There are certain natural rights that are endowed by rights that are endowed by God to all human beings.God to all human beings.

life, liberty, property!life, liberty, property!

► The doctrine of the Divine The doctrine of the Divine Right of Kings was Right of Kings was nonsense.nonsense.

► He favored a republic as the He favored a republic as the best form of government.best form of government.

Enlightenment Philosophy

► HobbesHobbes► MontesquieuMontesquieu► RousseauRousseau► LockeLocke

Which one of the philosophersinfluenced the U.S. Constitution the most?

(Locke- but the others are in there in more subtle forms)

Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? (Thomas Jefferson)

Mary WollstonecraftMary Wollstonecraft BritishBritish 1st Feminist Philosopher1st Feminist Philosopher A Vindication for the Rights of A Vindication for the Rights of WomenWomen she argues that women are not naturally she argues that women are not naturally inferior to men, but appear to be only because inferior to men, but appear to be only because they lack education. She suggests that both they lack education. She suggests that both men and women should be treated as rational men and women should be treated as rational beings and imagines a social order founded beings and imagines a social order founded on reason.on reason.



1759-1797

Denis DiderotDenis Diderot1713-1784 French

Wrote the Wrote the EncyclopediaEncyclopediashow the dependence of men's show the dependence of men's ideas on their five senses.ideas on their five senses.The work sought to bring The work sought to bring together all knowledge of the time together all knowledge of the time and condense this information for and condense this information for all to use. all to use. An encyclopedia would give the An encyclopedia would give the layman an ability to reason and layman an ability to reason and use knowledge to better use knowledge to better themselves;themselves;





Thomas Paine (1737-1809)

► Wrote Common Sense, 1776

► It is right for man to revolt against an improper gov’t

► Man’s rights are Man’s rights are eternal and eternal and unchanging!unchanging!


Adam Smith Adam Smith created idea of created idea of laissez-faire economics.laissez-faire economics.

He wroteHe wrote The Wealth of NationsThe Wealth of Nations When it comes to the economy then When it comes to the economy then

gov’t should do nothing. gov’t should do nothing. Natural forces of economy - Natural forces of economy - supply supply

and demandand demand - should work freely. - should work freely. Ex: gov’t should protect people from Ex: gov’t should protect people from

invasion by enemy but not from poverty. invasion by enemy but not from poverty.



The American “Philosophers”

John AdamsJohn Adams(1745-(1745-1826)1826)

Ben FranklinBen Franklin(1706-1790)(1706-1790)

ThomasThomasJeffersonJefferson(1743-(1743-1826)1826)

……...…life, liberty, and the pursuit of ...…life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness…………...happiness…………...

James MadisonJames Madison 1751-18381751-1838

Jefferson’s friend and neighborJefferson’s friend and neighbor Wrote Constitution of Virginia 1776, Leader of Wrote Constitution of Virginia 1776, Leader of

Virginian Assembly to the Continental Virginian Assembly to the Continental Congress.,Congress.,

Member of Constitutional Convention- Member of Constitutional Convention- Father Father of the Constitutionof the Constitution, Secretary of State, , Secretary of State, 44thth

President. President.

Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson 1743-18251743-1825

Farmer (unsuccessful), Lawyer, Congressman, Governor, Farmer (unsuccessful), Lawyer, Congressman, Governor, Ambassador, Secretary of State, V.P. and Ambassador, Secretary of State, V.P. and 33rdrd President President,,

Wrote the most famous 36 words in history.. Wrote the most famous 36 words in history.. We hold these truths to be We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Governmentto institute new Government

Wished to be remembered for:Wished to be remembered for:1.1. Declaration of IndependenceDeclaration of Independence2.2. Religious FreedomReligious Freedom3.3. University of VirginiaUniversity of Virginia

Age of Scientific RevolutionAge of Scientific Revolution

SummarySummary

The Scientific Revolution & the The Scientific Revolution & the Enlightenment challenged and Enlightenment challenged and changed the way people thought changed the way people thought about the world.about the world.

Enlightenment Web 0

Spiritual

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