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The Age of Enlightment 1700-1820. Benjamin Franklin 1706-1790 http://www.ushistory.org/franklin/autobiography/page38.htm. Project of Arriving at Moral Perfection. 1. Natural goodness of human beings 2. Perfectability of human beings 3. God gave us reason=we are god-like
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Benjamin Franklin 1706-1790 http://www.ushistory.org/franklin/autobiography/page38.htm Project of Arriving at Moral Perfection
1. Natural goodness of human beings 2. Perfectability of human beings 3. God gave us reason=we are god-like 4. Thus we are all equal before the law 5. Brotherhood+tolerance 6. Has -'s as well as +'s (-age of scientific racism) 7. Individualism 8. Science/Progress Age of Enlightment
An excellent example of interplay of 3 cultures: * Dominant=Calvinism(Puritan origins) * Emergent=Human Beings @ center of what matters instead of man's relationship to God * Residual=Calvinism Age of Enlightment
Pilgrim's Progress - precursor to B.F.'s "progress of Christian to Celestial City" Franklin's autobiography: is a secular version of progress Ben = "representative" person Franklin's Autobiography
an art form, as a story, painting, or sculpture, in which the components have a symbolic, an art form, as a story, painting, or sculpture, in which the components have a symbolic, figurative meaning. Alllegory
Allegory- sermon about the progress of a Christian Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan
Saint Augustine - talks about his conversion (The Confessions of Saint Augustine) 397 AD Sets a pattern for autobiography AUTOBIOGRAPHY = a form of Conversion Narrative AUTOBIOGRAPHY
1. How does Franklin show himself to be a man of the Enlightenment? 2. What are his attitudes towards religion? 3. What sorts of attitudes towards individualism does he portray? As you read his prose-think about these ??
Deism: is a natural religion. Deists believe in the existence of God, on purely rational grounds, without any reliance on revealed religion or religious authority or holy text. Deism is quite different from religions likeJudaism,Christianity andIslam. The latter are based on revelations from God to prophet(s) who then taught it to humans. We like to call natural religions by the title "bottom-up" faiths and revealed religions as "top-down." http://www.ushistory.org/franklin/autobiography/page28.htm
Franklin Short Write- Write a short character analysis of Ben Franklin based on his Project of Arriving at Moral Perfection (pp. 284-92). Consider such things as his goal, how he proceeds, his problems and revisions, the outcome, his tone. (Note: You do not need to cover all those categories.) What do we learn about the man’s major characteristics based on his own self-portrait in this matter? Try not to over-simplify this character analysis. Although you are limited in word length, try to consider multiple traits that Franklin manifests and how they relate to each other as a whole. Due: Monday 10/22
Typing Directions Use font "Times New Roman" size 12 or 14. Double-space EVERYTHING (no exceptions). One-inch margins on all sides. Indent first line of all paragraphs by five spaces. On the title page, in the top-left corner, put your name, your instructor's name, the class name and number, and the date--all double-spaced. Below that, in the center of page, add a title. PROOFREAD--typing errors count as grammar errors. A SHORT WRITE
* Man of the Enlightenment * His first draft of the Declaration of Independence is in his Autobiography * Autobiography - Jefferson as statesman who has the best interest of the nation at heart The Autobiography of Thomas Jefferson
* Had to be altered to get consensus * Question of Slavery * Common Sense + Rigorous argument * John Locke " Life, Liberty and Property" Declaration of Independence
* Jefferson gave it form: Syllogism Major Premise + Minor Premise = Conclusion All A is C All B is A All B is C Declaration of Independence
Declaration of Independence Syllogism
* We assume we have the right to overthrow a destructive government * We prove that the British Government is distructive Therefore:We have the right to overthrow the British Government Syllogism
Expression of the American Mind & Spirit Not trying to be original