The Enlightenment
Core thoughts of the Enlightenment
® The
methods of natural science could and should be used to examine all aspects of
life
® The
scientific method was capable of discovering laws of human society as well as
those of nature.
® Progress,
that human beings could create better societies and better people
Fontenelle, “Conversations on the plurality of worlds” 1686
® Emphasized
possibilities of progress
® Reformation
concerned with sin and salvation
® Renaissance
was secular, but had looked backward to classical society
® Progress,
at least intellectual progress was possible
Crisis in european thought at the end of the 17th
century
®
Demolition of
Aristotelian-medieval science
®
Erosion of
religious certainty
®
Pierre
Bayle-nothing could be known beyond all doubt. Best hope was open minded
toleration.
®
Knowledge of
different cultures truth and moral relativism
®
John Locke’s Essay
concerning Human understanding
®
Tabula rasa
The Philosophes
®
They were
bringing the light of knowledge to their ignorant fellow creatures
®
Public vs. People
®
The philosophes
believed that the great majority of the common people was doomed to
superstition and confusion
®
Suspicious of the
people but intensely committed to reason, reform, and slow, difficult progress
Baron de Montesquieu 1689-1755
®
The Persian
Letters, 1721
®
The Spirit of
the Laws 1748
®
Forms of
government
®
Admired
English Government
®
Separation of
Powers