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THE ENLIGHTENMENT

THE ENLIGHTENMENT. Principles – Tenets of the Enlightenment Rationalism Freedom Toleration Progress Individualism Relativism Deism. Creation of a Secular/Public Culture Salons Societies where men & women met to discuss Enlightenment ideas Scientific Academies Began in London & Paris

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THE ENLIGHTENMENT

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  1. THE ENLIGHTENMENT

  2. Principles – Tenets of the Enlightenment • Rationalism • Freedom • Toleration • Progress • Individualism • Relativism • Deism

  3. Creation of a Secular/Public Culture • Salons • Societies where men & women met to discuss Enlightenment ideas • Scientific Academies • Began in London & Paris • Performed experiments • Kept collections of “rarities” • Listened to papers being presented

  4. Freemasons (search for science of religion) • Alternative to traditional beliefs/practices • Based on guilds of stonemasons • To meet as equals & hold elections • To live under a constitution, which called for members to live virtuous, disciplined, & civilized lives • For some – a substitution for church

  5. Philosophes (Enlightenment Thinkers) • Government • Women & Society • Religion • Education • Economics

  6. Government • John Locke (1632-1704) • God’s existence could be logically proved • Government as a form of contract • Natural rights for all people • Baron de Montesquieu (1689-1755) • Primary concern was to check the authority of French kings (anti-absolutism) • Criticized French society • Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) • “Man is born free, but everywhere he is in chains” • Role/importance of the “General Will” • Society is corrupt and it corrupts people

  7. Government (cont’d) • Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) • Wrote Leviathan in which he stated that • Humans are by nature brutish • Government is need to control human instincts • Government as a contract among men who agreed to elevate a ruler to a position of power above them

  8. Women & Society • Marquis de Condorcet (1743-1794) • Society should always better itself • Women should have equal political rights as men • Opposed to slavery • Progress • Executed during the French Revolution (guillotine) • Mary Astell (1666-1731) • Women should have a place in public as well as private life

  9. Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) • Vindication of the Rights of Woman • Women have been weakened by too much confinement in the home • Women are limited by valuing superficial attributes (clothes, appearance) • Women should have full citizenship, economic independence, and equal educational opportunities • Criticized other Enlightenment thinkers for not fully supporting women’s rights

  10. Women & Society • Olympe de Gouges (1745-1793) • Declaration of the Rights of Women • Modeled after the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen • Women should have same rights as men including the right to hold public office • Executed during the French Revolution (guillotine) • Issue of Slavery • Growing criticism; often seemed to be someone else’s problem • Most Enlightenment thinkers felt it was wrong, but what to do about it?

  11. Religion • Voltaire (1694-1778) very outspoken about his ideas • “Crush the infamous thing” – opposed to anything that inhibits people’s ability to think/reason • Rule of law, free press, humane treatment of criminals, effective government – not oppression • Feared the power of the people • David Hume (1711-1776) • Critical of all religions & human superstitions • Reason and experience were the only keys to knowledge • But even the existence of reason and the mind are uncertain

  12. Education • Denis Diderot (1713-1784) • Knowledge is the key to human happiness • Encyclopedia – collection of contributions from many Enlightenment thinkers • Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) • Bringing light into the dark corners of the mind • The mind cannot understand everything; sometimes you must use faith

  13. Education (cont’d) • John Locke • Essay Concerning Human Understanding • Tabula rasa (blank slate) – humans not born w/ inherent ideas • Environment is a decisive force in shaping a person’s character & intelligence (not class) • Education is key to human behavior & active learning must be part of it

  14. Economics • Adam Smith (1723-1790) • Optimistic view of humanity (people can control their passions for the good of the community) • Wealth of Nations • Laissez-faire economics – there is an invisible hand controlling the economy • Economy will regulate itself w/o government interference • Free markets – make as much money as you can through competition • True basis of wealth was labor (need division of labor for efficiency & most productivity)

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