 HW #3 due for Friday.

September 9, 2015

A. 18 th century French intellectuals. B. Had 5 main beliefs: ◦ Reason: By using logic and scientific thinking, people can solve problems in society. ◦ Nature: What is natural is good. ◦ Happiness: People should try to be happy while they live on Earth. ◦ Progress: People and society can improve over time! ◦ Liberty: Governments should provide people with rights and freedoms.

A. Formal gathering of intellectuals to discuss Enlightenment ideas. B. Hosted by French aristocratic women in their private living rooms.

A. Outspoken philosopher, wrote with a biting wit: 1.Attacked injustice among the nobility, government and church 2.Created many enemies, imprisoned twice 3.Views on religion: “It does not require any great art or studied eloquence to prove that Christians ought to tolerate one another. I will go even further and say that we ought to look upon all men as our brothers. What! Call a Turk, a Jew, and a Siamese my brother? Yes, of course; for are we not all children of the same father, and the creatures of the same God? 4.Views on Freedom of Speech: “I do not agree with a word you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it.”

A. Big Idea – Separation of Powers 1.Best form of government is when you divide up power among branches of the government. 2.Government should be divided into legislative, executive and judicial branches. The legislative branch (Parliament) makes laws, executive branch (king) carries out laws, judicial branch (courts) interprets laws. ↓ Leads to Checks and Balances

 Describe how each of the following philosophes has helped to shape the history and values of the United States: ◦ John Locke ◦ Voltaire ◦ Montesquieu

A. French philosopher – Says people are basically good but society can corrupt them. “Man is born free but everywhere is in chains.” B. Views on government 1. The Sovereign (government) cannot act save when the people are assembled. Every law the people have not ratified in person is null and void — is, in fact, not a law. The legislative power belongs to the people, and can belong to it alone.” 2. The social state is advantageous to men only when all possess something and none has too much….The greatest enemies of freedom are the extremely rich and the extremely poor.”

A. Italian philosopher and politician, wanted to improve the criminal justice system. B. Views on Law and Justice: No man can be judged a criminal until he be found guilty; nor can society take from him the public protection, until it have been proved that he has violated the conditions on which it was granted. What right, then, but that of power, can authorise the punishment of a citizen, so long as there remains any doubt of his guilt? This dilemma is frequent. Either he is guilty, or not guilty. If guilty, he should only suffer the punishment ordained by the laws, and torture becomes useless, as his confession is unnecessary. If he be not guilty, you torture the innocent; for, in the eye of the law, every man is innocent, whose crime has not been proved.”

A. Enlightenment thinkers still held very traditional views about women (proper roles wives and mothers; should receive limited education). B. Wollstonecraft demanded equal rights for women, argued that you couldn’t deny the right to learn to half the human race. C. First women’s rights advocate!

 Which of the following philosophes do you think has the greatest influence on our lives today, and why: ◦ John Locke ◦ Voltaire ◦ Montesquieu ◦ Rousseau ◦ Beccaria ◦ Mary Wollstonecraft