1. Chapter 18 Part 2
The Enlightenment

2. A Secular World View
For the first time in human history, people believed that science and reason could explain all aspects of life
Belief in the autonomy of man’s intellect APART FROM GOD
Faith in reason rather than faith in revelation

3. Deism The Religious arm of the Enlightenment
The existence of God was a rational explanation of the universe and the form it has taken
God is seen as a cosmic creator (a cosmic clockmaker) who created the universe and then stepped back and left it running…like a clock

4. Deism The universe is governed by NATURAL LAW…not by a personal God
Some called it, “The ghost in the machine”
The supernatural has no place in human life
Deism grew out of Newton’s theories regarding natural law

5. Belief that Scientific Method could explain the laws of society
Progress in society was possible if natural laws and how they applied to society could be understood
Education was seen as a key to helping society to progress

6. John Locke (1632-1704) 1690 Two Treatises of Civil Government
Was the Philosophical defense of the Glorious Revolution
In the state of nature: humans are basically good but need protection (differed from Hobbes, Machiavelli)
Governments to provide rule of law BUT only with the consent of the governed

7. The Purpose of Government
To protect the NATURAL RIGHTS of the people: Life, Liberty and Property
The Right to Rebellion: the people have a right to abolish a government that does not protect its citizens’ natural rights

8. Locke: Essay Concerning Human Understanding (1690)
Stressed the importance of the environment on the individual
Education was seen as the key
Tabula Rasa: the human mind is born as a blank slate and registers input from the senses

9. Locke
Saw all human knowledge as the result of sensory experiences without any preconceived notions
BUT education was necessary for social progress and human development (both)

10. Toleration was popularized
Montaigne and Skepticism
Bernard de Fontenelle ( ) made very complicated scientific ideas accessible to the public (explained in simple terms)
Was skeptical of absolute truth and questioned claims of organized religion

11. Pierre Bayle (1647-1706) 1697 Critical and Historical Dictionary
Advocate of complete toleration of ideas
A person should be free to worship any religion or NONE AT ALL!
WAS A MAJOR CRITIC OF Christianity and its attempt to impose its beliefs
Was a skeptic…like Montaigne

12. The Philosophes Were committed to fundamental social reform
Were not professional philosophers (like Locke and Descartes) but DID successfully popularize Enlightenment ideas
By 1775 most of Western Europe’s educated elite had embraced the Enlightenment

13. The Philosophes
Believed in progress through discovering the natural laws governing nature and human existence
Were radically optimistic about how people should live and govern themselves (though most did not have faith in the idea of true democracy for the great unwashed)

14. Voltaire ( )
Maybe the most influential of all of the Enlightenment Philosophers
Used sharp criticism and ridicule on those who disagreed with his views
Was a huge critic of the Catholic Church

15. Voltaire and the Catholic Church
Believed that prayer and miracles had no place with natural law
Was strongly Deist
Believed that human reason (not faith) was the key to progress (along with education, of course)

16. Voltaire
Was so critical of society that many believe he set the stage for the French Revolution
He hated bigotry and injustice
His most famous quote against religious intolerance, “Ecracsez l’infame” (Crush the infamous thing!)

17. Voltaire
Was raised as a Christian but came to distrust organized religion as being corrupt
Believed that the Church’s leadership had moved away from the central message of Jesus
Wrote Candide: “a biting satirical novel.”

18. Voltaire Was an advocate of “Enlightened Despotism”
A more benevolent form of absolutism was the best that we could hope for
Believed that the people were incapable of governing themselves

19. Voltaire Believed in equality before the law BUT
NOT in the equality of the classes
Influenced several “Enlightened Despots”
Frederick the Great (Prussia)
Catherine the Great (Russia)
Joseph II (Austria)
Napoleon (the Greatest of them all)

20. Montesquieu (1689-1755) Member of the French nobility Hated Louis XIV
1748 Spirit of the Laws called for separation of powers in government…3 branches:
monarchy
nobility (the French Parlements (independent courts)
the rest of the population
Goal to promote liberty and prevent anarchy

21. Montesquieu
Favored the British system: the Monarchy, Parliament, and independent courts
Had lived for a time in England
He supported the 13 Parlements in France as a check against tyrannical absolute rule by the monarch

22. Montesquieu
Had a big impact on the creation of the U.S. Constitution and the French Revolution

23. Rousseau 1712-1788) The Social Contract 1762
Believed that too much emphasis on property and not enough consideration of the people was a root cause of social injustice
The General Will: A consensus of the majority should control a nation (implied democracy)

24. “The General Will”
Will be manipulated and used later by dictators to rationalize extreme nationalism and tyranny
Robespierre
Hitler
Mussolini
No protection for the minority

25. Rousseau Was part of the Enlightenment
But better known as the father of the Romantic movement
After the French Revolution, the glorification of Reason will give way to the glorification of emotion

26. Rousseau Believed that man in a state of nature was good
The Noble Savage
Man was corrupted by materialism of civilization
Influenced the American Transcendentalists: man was corrupted by vestiges of civilization (institutions)

27. Rousseau and Education
Believed in child-centered, hands-on education
Progressive: learning by doing
Self-expression was encouraged
Advice: Love your children, cherish them
1762 Emile
The Irony: He left his 5 illegitimate children in an orphanage rather than educating and “cherishing” them

28. The French Revolution Will be divided into 3 Ages
The Age of Montesquieu (A Republic)
The Age of Rousseau (Majority Rule: the Reign of Terror)
The Age of Voltaire (Enlightened Despotism: Napoleon)

29. Denis Diderot ( )
1765 The Encyclopedia the greatest and most representative work of the philosophes
A huge collection of political and social critiques from various authors and Enlightenment Philosophers
Emphasized science and reason while criticizing religion, intolerance, tyranny, and injustice

30. The Encyclopedia
Tried to teach people to think critically and objectively
Was banned in France and placed in the Index of Forbidden Books by the pope

31. Beccaria (Italian) 1764 On Crimes and Punishment
Tried to humanize criminal law based on Enlightenment concepts of reason and equality before the law
Punishment for a crime should be based rationally on the damage done to society
Should NOT be linked to the religious concept of sin

32. Beccaria
Was opposed to the death penalty except in the case of serious threats against the state
Opposed to the use of torture to extract confessions

33. Beccaria Influenced Enlightened Despots:
Frederick the Great banned torture
Catherine the Great restricted the use of torture
Joseph II banned torture and the death penalty

34. Economic Theory and the Enlightenment
Economists were called Physiocrats
Quesnay ( ) Leader of the French Physiocrats
Were opposed to mercantilism
Wanted to institute Laissez-faire in agriculture
Believed that the French government and nobility stifled agricultural production by their interference and control

35. Adam Smith (1727-1790) Wealth of Nations 1776
Considered the Bible of capitalism
Advocated laissez-faire in economics of a nation
Believed that the economy is governed by the NATURAL LAWS of Supply and Demand
When people work for their own self-interest, they will be more productive
Competition will encourage producers to manufacture most efficiently in order to sell higher quality, lower-cost goods than competitors
Government regulation would only interfere and stifle production