1. The Enlightenment

2. Introduction to the Age of the Enlightenment
18th Century Europe
England and France

3. The Enlightenment
The Age of Reason

4. What do you think the lightbulb represents?

5. (18th century Enlightenment)
Age of Reason
(18th century Enlightenment)
Natural laws apply to government as well as science!
Rights to Life, Liberty, and Property
A FAIR society is based on REASON, not “Divine Right”
Enlightenment thinkers thought that like laws in natural science, there were laws governing human society. Laws of nature (natural laws) give people
rights of life, liberty and property. Men can build a fair society based on reason (rationality). They challenged the theory of "Divine Right of Kings."  
Locke, Montesquieu, Voltaire, Rousseau – Famous Thinkers – their ideas inspire revolutions
REVOLUTION!!!

6. The Age of Reason
Scientific Revolution convinced many European thinkers about power of reason
Scientific method and reason led to discoveries about physical world
Wondered if reason could be used to study human nature, society
New generation of philosophers, 1600s
Viewed reason as best way to understand truth
Concluded reason could be used to solve all human problems
This time of optimism now called the Enlightenment

7. What is the Enlightenment?
THE ENLIGHTENMENT OCCURRED B/W
Thinkers believed reason could be used to uncover the laws that govern human life
Once the laws were known people could make society better
Believed that reason was a much better guide than faith or tradition
Reason is the “light” that reveals human error and showed the way to truth

8. Defining the Enlightenment: Everything was Questioned!
What society worked best?
Why were laws unjust?
How did the universe operate?
Was there a God?
Was the Earth really 4,000 years old?
Were there natural laws that governed people?
Who had the power to rule?
How did the human mind work?

9. Defining The Age of Enlightenment
A period of intellectual exchange in Europe during the 18th century
Belief in the idea of “progress”
A desire for political and social change

10. Defining the Enlightenment
These thinkers believed that human reason could be used to combat ignorance, superstition, and tyranny and to build a better world.

11. What is the Enlightenment?
The intellectuals of the Enlightenment (called Philosophes) believed:
The universe could be understood through reason
Everything in nature could be explained by natural laws—universal truths found through observation (Religion is not necessary to understand the world)

12. What is the Enlightenment?
The belief in progress—the world can be improved upon & perfected
People have natural rights—personal freedoms that allow people to enjoy liberty (no restrictions on speech, religion, or the economy)

13. Central Concepts of the Enlightenment
A. The methods of natural science should be used to understand all aspects of life - through the use of REASON
B. Discover the natural laws of human society as well as the natural world (“social science”)
C. The idea of progress - The confidence in human power, human reason to improve society

14. Central concepts of the Enlightenment [cont]
Reason
D. Rejection of superstition and tradition
E. Tolerance and equality
F. Deism - God does not intervene in the world through miracles; he created the world, and then removed himself from it

15. Defining the Enlightenment
*a period of intellectual growth that led to the development of new ideas on society, government, philosophy, economics, and religion. *marks the beginning of the modern world. *Can be captured in the words of Immanuel Kant: “Dare to know! Have the courage to use your own understanding is therefore the motto of the Enlightenment.”
Left Side of Notes: What do you think this motto means?
Does this motto relate to our world today?
Why or why not?

16. Why do you think the man is naked, out in nature, and also working on geometry with the protractor?

17. Defining The Enlightenment
Belief in the supremacy of reason over pleasure; conviction that humans could perfect society through the application of the intellect to human affairs
Science takes its place for the first time

18. Knowledge is Power!
This year thus far we have learned about how the Catholic Church and Absolute Monarchs saw new ideas and education as threats to be suppressed. WHY?
How does this tie in the Enlightenment?

19. Defining The Enlightenment
Principal targets: Religion and the domination of society by hereditary aristocracy.
In other words, the church and the state, who often worked hand-in-hand.

20. New Theories/ ideas that hold strong
Belief in Progress
Through reason a better society was possible
through progress we would continue to expand our knowledge in the sciences
Secular Outlook
More worldly view of life
church is continuing to lose power
questioning of all church beliefs
Importance Of the Individual
own ability to reason
importance of the in society
Individual achievement

21. Major Enlightenment Ideas
Every social, political and economic problem could be solved through the use of reason
Governments are created to secure an orderly society
Separation of powers is the best way to protect human liberties
All men are created “free and equal”
A free market should be allowed to regulate trade

22. Enlightenment Thinkers
The market price of every particular commodity is regulated by the proportion between the quantity which is actually brought to market, and the demand of those who are willing to pay the natural price of the commodity or the whole value of the rent, labor and profit which must be paid in order to bring it thither.
Enlightenment Thinkers
In republican governments, men are all equal; equal they are also in despotic governments: in the former, because they are everything; in the latter, because they are nothing.
~Baron de Montesquieu The Spirit of Laws Bk. VI, Ch.2
The reason why men enter into society is the preservation of their property, and putting themselves under government, is the preservation of their property.
~Adam Smith The Wealth of Nations Vol.I, bk.1, ch.7
~John Locke Second Treatise of Government ChXIX, “Of the Dissolution in Government”

23. Causes and Effects of the Enlightenment—America & Europe
Religious Fanaticism
Witch trials
Beginning of a merchant class—aka bourgeoisie
Landed Aristocracy
Monarchies
Church & State united
Church = Truth
Effects
Deism—”natural law”
Rise of merchant class—aka bourgeoisie
Science/Logic/Reason = Truth
Rise of philosophers
Revolution x 3
The “perfect” society
Separation of Church & State
Democracy

24. Origins of the Enlightenment: Background in Antiquity
The application of Aristotelian logic by Thomas Aquinas, Scholasticism, in the 13th century set the stage for the Enlightenment.

25. Origins of the Enlightenment: Ancients Used Logic to Defend Dogma
Aristotle’s logical procedures were used to defend the dogmas of Christianity.
Unfortunately for the Catholic Church, the tools of logic could not be confined to Church matters.

26. Origins of the Enlightenment: Renaissance
From sciences, ideas of nature surfaced-
study not only gravity or the circulatory system, but also human behavior
New sciences of psychology and politics were developed-
Social Sciences; political science, geography, sociology, history, civics, economics, etc…
Advocates of Enlightenment claim governing laws dictate human nature, society and politics

27. The Enlightenment—Early Forms
Renaissance Humanists (14th & 15th cent.)
Argued that proper worship of God involved admiration of his creation, notably His crown of creations: humanity.
Celebrating humans worships God better than gloomy priests who preached original sin and repentance
Galileo Galilei (1632)
Used logic and observation to argue that earth rotates around sun
The Church (possessor of Truth) forced him to recant, objecting that Bible clearly stated that the sun moved through the sky.
Led to the advancement of science—Isaac Newton

28. Origins of the Enlightenment: The Renaissance Humanists
In the 14th and 15th centuries, "humanists“ celebrated the human race and its capacities.
They argued they were worshipping God more appropriately than the priests and monks who harped on original sin and asked people to humble themselves.

29. Origins of the Enlightenment: Renaissance Focused on Man’s Creativity
Some of them claimed that humans were like God, created not only in his image, but with a share of his creative power. The painter, the architect, the musician, and the scholar, by exercising their intellectual powers, were fulfilling divine purposes.

30. Early Forms Michel de Montaigne (16th Century) Asked “What do I know?”
We have no right to impose other dogmas which rest on cultural habit rather than absolute Truth
New World = new cultures
Morals may be relative
If we cannot be certain that our values are God-given, then we have no right to impose them by force on others
Popes and kings had no right to enforce adherence to particular religious or philosophical beliefs
Doubt is essential to science—test, challenge, ask—to get closer to truth. Authority is science’s enemy

31. Origins of the Enlightenment: Renaissance Challenged Church Authority
In the 16th century, various humanists had begun to ask dangerous questions.
François Rabelais, a French monk and physician influenced by Protestantism, challenged the Church's authority, ridiculing many religious doctrines as absurd.

33. Origins of the Enlightenment
Discoveries of Copernicus and other scientists challenge accepted thinking.
Renaissance discovery of new classical manuscripts leads scholars to question accepted knowledge.
The printing press spreads ideas.
Exploration broadens European horizons.

34. Origins of the Enlightenment: The Scientific Revolution
“If I have seen farther than others,” said Newton, “it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants.” Who were the giants to whom Newton was referring? Could this be said of any scientific accomplishment? Explain. 1
Giants were Copernicus, Kepler, and Galileo. Yes, scientific discoveries give scientists a clearer understanding of how the world works. New discoveries lead to further questions for investigation and more discoveries.

36. During the Scientific Revolution, people began to believe that the scientific method allowed them to find answers to their questions
As a result, new ideas began in areas outside of science:
Especially criticizing absolute monarchy & think of new ideas about government

37. Scientific Revolution Leads to Enlightenment
: European scientists using reason to discover laws of nature
Very successful: Planetary movements, chemistry, vaccine for smallpox, etc.
Early 1700’s: If people used reason to find laws that governed the physical world, why not use reason to discover natural laws?
Laws that govern human nature
Reformers begin studying human nature and societal problems

38. Political & Economic Background
Wealth from Asia & Americas catapulted a new class of merchants into prominence, partially displacing the aristocracy whose power had been rooted in land ownership
These bourgeoisie had there own ideas about the world—main agents of change in the arts, government, and the economy
Naturally convinced that their earnings were result of their individual merit and hard work
Absolutist kings and dogmatic churches were the biggest obstacle to change for the merchant class

39. Origins of the Enlightenment: Economic Change
During the late Middle Ages, peasants had begun to move from rural estates to the towns in search of increased freedom and prosperity.

40. Origins of the Enlightenment: Economic and PoliticalChange
As trade and communication improved during the Renaissance, the ordinary town-dweller began to realize that things need not always go on as they had for centuries. People could write new charters, form new governments, pass new laws, begin new businesses.

41. Origins of the Enlightenment: Economic and Social Changes
Wealth from Asia & Americas catapulted a new class of merchants into prominence, partially displacing the aristocracy whose power had been rooted in land ownership
These bourgeoisie had their own ideas about the world—main agents of change in the arts, government, and the economy
Naturally convinced that their earnings were result of their individual merit and hard work
Absolutist kings and dogmatic churches were the biggest obstacle to change for the merchant class

42. Origins of The Enlightenment: Social Class Changes
Most important, the middle classes—the bourgeoisie—were painfully aware that they were paying taxes to support a fabulously expensive aristocracy that contributed nothing of value to society.

43. Origins of the Enlightenment: Social Class Changes
They were naturally convinced that their earnings were the result of their individual merit and hard work, unlike the inherited wealth of aristocrats.
The ability of individual effort to transform the world became a European dogma, lasting to this day.

44. Origins of the Enlightenment: Social Changes—Impoverished Masses
They were to find ready allies in France among the impoverished masses who realized that they were paying higher and higher taxes to support the lifestyle of the idle rich at Versailles.

45. Origins of the Enlightenment: Social---Role of the Aristocrats
Interestingly, it was among those very idle aristocrats that the French Enlightenment philosophers were to find some of their earliest and most enthusiastic followers.

46. Origins of the Enlightenment: Political and Religious Repression
The 17th century was torn by witch-hunts, wars of religion, and imperial conquest.

47. The 17th century scene: Dogma & Fanaticism
Witch-hunts and wars of religion
Protestants & Catholics denounced each other as followers of Satan
People imprisoned for attending wrong church
All publications censored by church and state
Slavery widely practiced, defended by religious leaders
Despotism of monarchs=“divine right of kings”
Any opposition was imprisoned or executed
Reason and Logic had no room for these matters

48. Origins of the Enlightenment: Religious Intolerance
Protestants and Catholics denounced each other as followers of Satan and people could be imprisoned for attending the wrong church or for not attending any.

49. Origins of the Enlightenment: Censorship
All publications, whether pamphlets or scholarly volumes, were subject to prior censorship by both church and state.

50. Origins of the Enlightenment: Despotism
The despotism of monarchs exercising far greater powers than any medieval king was supported by the doctrine of the "divine right of kings," and scripture quoted to show that revolution was detested by God.

51. Origins of the Enlightenment: Exploration and Slavery
Slavery was widely practiced, especially in the colonial plantations of the Western Hemisphere, and its cruelties frequently defended by leading religious figures..

52. Origins of The Enlightenment: Exploration
The Impact of Travel Literature
Captain James Cook, Travels
Literature on China
New discovery of the Pacific Island of Tahiti , New Zealand and Australia by James Cook
His accounts became a best seller.
Tahitians as natural man who were far happier than Europeans.The idea of the “noble savage “ emerges.
Highly developed civilizations like China Confucian morality as superior to the intolerable attitudes of Christians.

53. The Age of Enlightenment in Europe
©2003 Wadsworth, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning™ is a trademark used herein under license.
“Dare to know” – Immanuel Kant
Scientific method to understand life
The Age of Enlightenment in Europe