According to the 18 th Century philosopher Immanuel Kant, the “motto” of the Enlightenment was “Sapere aude! Have courage to use your own intelligence!” (Kant, “What Is Enlightenment?” 1784) Immanuel Kant

The Enlightenment The Enlightenment was an intellectual movement in Europe during the 18 th century that led to a new world view.

What were the influences on the Enlightenment? 3 How did the Enlightenment affect common citizens? Hmmm The Renaissance, Reformation, and Scientific Revolution all contributed with new ways of thinking and looking at things.

Roots of Enlightenment Reformation 4 Martin Luther challenged the Catholic Church’s authority and brought on the Protestant Reformation beginning in 1517.

The Scientific Revolution The Enlightenment grew largely out of the new methods and discoveries achieved in the Scientific Revolution The equatorial armillary, used for navigation on ships

Francis Bacon and the Scientific Method  The scientific method  Observation and experimentation  Testable hypothesis Sir Francis Bacon

Galileo Galilei Italian. Scientist.

Isaac Newton and the Scientific Method  Used the scientific method to make a range of discoveries  Newton’s achievements using the scientific method helped inspire Enlightenment thinkers

Enlightenment Principles  Religion, tradition, and superstition limited independent thought  Accept knowledge based on observation, logic, and reason, not on faith  Scientific and academic thought should be secular A meeting of French Enlightenment thinkers

Roots of Enlightenment Scientific Revolution 10 You mean, I’m not the center of everything?! Galileo facing the Roman Inquisition, a painting by Cristiano Banti, 1857 How did scientific progress promote trust in human reason?

Objectives  How did the social contract and separation of powers affect views on government?  How did new ideas affect society and the economy?  Identify the philosophies of major Enlightenment thinkers such as: John Locke, Baron de Montesquieu, Adam Smith.

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

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

René Descartes French. Philosopher & Mathematician

René Descartes Descartes was a French scientist, mathematician, and philosopher. Descartes emphasized human reasoning as the best road to understanding. Like Bacon, Descartes also believed that truth was only found after a long process of studying and investigation. “I think, therefore I am”

Our Own Attempt at Skepticism....

René Descartes Descartes Concludes: Cogito Ergo Sum (“I think, therefore I am”). Meditations on First Philosophy (1639).

The Cartesian Plane A Mathematical Map of Reality

Enlightenment Thinkers John Locke Baron de Montesquieu Voltaire

John Locke (1632–1704)  The “State of Nature”  Tabula rasa

Locke (continued)  Treatises of Government  Rights

Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679)  Applied rational analysis to the study of government  Attacked the concept of divine right, yet supported a strong monarchy  Believed that humans were basically driven by passions and needed to be kept in check by a powerful ruler

Social Contract Thomas HobbesJohn Locke Humans are naturally cruel, greedy and selfish. To escape this “brutish” life people entered into a social contract. Only a powerful government could ensure an orderly society. Believed only an absolute monarchy could keep a society completely orderly. Humans are naturally reasonable, moral and good Humans have natural rights: life liberty and property People form governments to protect natural rights Best government was one with limited power If a government violates people’s natural rights, people have the right to overthrow government

The French Salon and the Philosophes Madame de Pompadour Salons: gatherings for aristocrats to discuss new theories and ideas Philosophes: French Enlightenment thinkers who attended the salons

Voltaire (1694–1778)  Most famous philosophe  Wrote plays, essays, poetry, philosophy, and books  Attacked the “relics” of the medieval social order  Championed social, political, and religious tolerance

The Encyclopédie  Major achievement of the philosophes  Begun in 1745; completed in 1765 Frontspiece to the Encyclopédie

The Encyclopédie (continued)  Denis Diderot and Jean Le Rond d’Alembert  Banned by the Catholic Church Encyclopédie editor Denis Diderot

Deism  Deists believed in God but rejected organized religion  Morality could be achieved by following reason rather than the teachings of the church Lord Edward Herbert of Cherbury, founder of deism

Deism (continued)  The “great watchmaker”  Thomas Paine

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–1778)  Philosophized on the nature of society and government  The Social Contract

Baron de Montesquieu (1689–1755) French noble and political philosopher The Spirit of the Laws

Montesquieu (continued) Separation of powers Constitutional monarchy Frontspiece to The Spirit of the Laws

Separation of Powers  Baron de Montesquieu: Criticized absolute monarchy and admired British government  British protected themselves from tyranny by dividing powers of government between three branches: legislative, executive and judicial (misconception)  Each branch of government should be able to ‘check’ the other two  What government does this sound like ?

Women and the Enlightenment  Changing views  Role of education  Equality Mary WollstonecraftOlympe de Gouges

Mary Wollstonecraft  Declaration of the Rights of Man  A Vindication of the Rights of Women

Wollstonecraft (continued)  Education  Women’s rights movement Title page of Wollstonecraft’s Thoughts on the Education of Daughters

Olympe De Gouges  Criticized the French Revolution  The Rights of Women  “Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen”  Executed in 1793

“Enlightened Monarchs”  Most of Europe ruled by absolute monarchs  Receptive to Enlightenment ideas  Instituted new laws and practices Enlightened Monarchs Frederick II, Prussia Catherine the Great, Russia Maria Theresa, Austria Joseph II, Holy Roman Empire Gustav III, Sweden Napoleon I, France

Enlightenment and the Economy  Physiocrats rejected mercantilism in favor of a policy called laissez-faire.  Physiocrats were Enlightenment thinkers who focused on economic reforms  Laissez-Faire: allowing business to operate with little or no government interference  Real wealth comes from productive land not gold and silver  Supported free trade and opposed tariffs

Enlightenment and the Economy  Adam Smith: Free market should be allowed to regulate business activity  Manufacturing, trade, wages, profits and economic growth are all linked to the market forces of supply and demand  Where there is demand, suppliers will seek to meet it because there are profits and economic rewards to be had  Smith supported laissez faire, but also believed that a government had a duty to protect society, administer justice, and provide public works.  His ideas lead to very productive economies during the Industrial Revolution (1800’s and 1900’s)

Supply and Demand

Other Major Enlightenment Ideas for Society  Detested the slave trade and slavery  Deplored religious prejudice  Defended freedom of speech  Attacked divine right theory  Urged education for all  Hated unequal distribution of property  Believed governments should be freely elected  Women’s first duty was to her family

Enlightenment Changes Society  Women: Women were not equal and were criticized for attempting to gain equality  Salons: Men and women gather in living rooms to discuss Enlightenment ideas (chat rooms)  Music: Ballets and operas become popular (Bach, Handel, Mozart)  Art: Baroque gives way to rococo art (simple, elegant and charming)  Literature: Novels become popular (Robinson Cruesoe)