Age of Reason 1600s-1800s

Scientific Method Will be used to discover natural laws in human nature not just physical science!

Revolution and Reason  The Scientific Revolution convinced many Europeans of the power of human reason.  Enlightenment philosophers admired scientists’ use of reason to understand the natural world.

The Impact of this New Thinking…  Led to another revolution in thinking, which came to be known as the Enlightenment.  These philosophers promoted the use of reason to understand government, religion, education, and economics.  This revolution of intellectual activity changed Europeans’ view of government and society

 Philosophers began ask, “ Why not use reason to discover the natural laws (laws that governed) of human nature?”  Many philosophers began to believe that if people used reason to find laws that governed the physical world (science)… then answers to society’s problems could also be found.

Center of the Movement…France  By the mid-1700s-France was the “headquarters”  Paris became the meeting place for some of the world’s greatest thinkers, “philosophes” the lovers of wisdom  Salons started up all over Europe. -They were informal social gatherings here intellectual discussion was considered fun! Where would one find a salon atmosphere today?

Writers also discussed slavery, intolerant churches, unjust governments and praised religious tolerance.

Traditional Ideas Abandoned Many turned away from traditional beliefs: 1. Rejected the belief in in an absolute monarchy and divine right rule 2. Became agonistics, deists and atheists 3. Rejected church rituals 4. Challenged those in authority in the church and government

 The Encyclopedie, first published in 1751, by Denis Diderot (dee DROH) expanded to 28 volumes by 1772, and included topics that covered the sciences, technology, and history  Essays were also included that discussed slavery, intolerant churches, unjust governments and praised religious tolerance

Hobbes Explores Government Thomas Hobbes used the idea of natural law to argue that absolute monarchy was the best form of government, why? Thomas Hobbes

Hobbes Explores Government 1.People are naturally cruel, greedy, and selfish. 2.Without it chaos would occur 3.People formed a social contract, an agreement to give up their freedom and live obediently under a ruler who would protect them Key Focus: Support for Monarchs and the social contract Thomas Hobbes

John Locke Offers A Different View  Locke believed people were inherently good and that government was based on a social contract too BUT…  Unlike Hobbes he believed that people were governed by consent based on natural rights or laws John Locke

John Locke Offers A Different View  These natural rights (laws), included the rights to life, liberty, & property Key Focus: Natural rights and consent of the governed John Locke

1690 Considered his most important political work, Two Treatises of Government argues that the function of the state is to protect the natural rights of its citizens, primarily to protect the right to property. What is property? Slide by Rocky Esposito

 Locke believed people created government to protect natural rights, if a government failed in this duty, people had the right to overthrow the government!  This idea influenced American colonists including Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence  Locke’s writings helped to provided the “fuel” for the American Revolution

Empiricism  Empiricism is the belief that knowledge comes to us through experience.  There is no such thing as innate ideas; there is no such thing as moral precepts  John Locke established the principals of modern empiricism in his book An Essay Concerning Human Understanding. 

Voltaire  Francois-Marie Arouet took the name Voltaire  Voltaire wrote poetry, plays, essays, and books  Published over 70 books  Used satire and humor

Voltaire  Criticized unjust legal systems, press censorship, and intolerance of the Catholic Church  Most well-known for his outspoken belief in free speech Key focus: Free speech

Montesquieu  Montesquieu promoted the idea of separating governmental powers into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial  Advanced the idea of a check and balance system (define) WHY? Best Way to protect liberty! Key Focus: Separation of powers and checks and balances

Montesquieu Best Way to protect liberty!  Wrote the book Spirit of Laws  Strongly believed in the rights of individuals  His ideas influenced the writing of constitutions of many countries including the United States Key Focus: Separation of powers and checks and balances

Montesquieu  Wrote the book Spirit of Laws  Strongly believed in the rights of individuals  His ideas influenced the writing of constitutions of many countries including the United States  Taught that men were superior but that women would make would make good government officials... WHY?  According to the “philosophes,” why were natural rights different for men and for women?

Women and the Enlightenment  Enlightenment ideas about equality and freedom spread throughout Europe, but were not applied to women

Women and the Enlightenment  In A Vindication of the Rights of Women, Mary Wollstonecraft favored equal education for women and men so that both genders could contribute equally to society  Key Focus: Access to education for girls; education for all

Controversial Philosopher Some Jean-Jacques Rousseau beliefs: 1. That people should rely more on instinct and emotion 2. Community is more important than the individual; opposite of most philosophers Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Controversial Philosopher 3. Government by general will (majority); the best conscience of the people  Wrote The Social Contract Key Focus: Government by general will; a new social contract- direct democracy Jean-Jacques Rousseau

The Role of Censorship 1.Government and church officials tried to protect the old order from the new ideas. 2. To defend against the attacks of the Enlightenment, they used censorship: banned and burned books and imprisoned writers. 2

The Role of Censorship To defend against the attacks of the Enlightenment, they used censorship: banned and burned books and imprisoned writers. 2

New Economic Thinking  Thinkers called physiocrats focused on economic reforms.  Like the philosophers, physiocrats looked for natural laws to define a rational economic system. François Quesnay

New Economic Thinking  Physiocrats rejected mercantilism in favor of a policy called laissez faire or allowing businesses to run with little or no government interference.  In The Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith (1776) argued that the laissez-faire or free market should be allowed to regulate business activity. Adam Smith

 Adam Smith referred to “an invisible hand,” which kept the economy in check  In order for the “invisible hand” to work, there can be no external laws or rules interrupt the natural economic cycle of boom and bust. Smith’s Invisible Hand

 Smith argued that a free, unregulated economic competition or laissez-faire brings: 1.Maximum profits 2.Quality products 3.Creative innovation 4.Competitive prices Smith’s Invisible Hand

Enlightenment Influences Classical Style Late 1700s 1. Enlightenment artists sought a return to a calm, rational style 2. Writing focused more on form than content 3. Musical composers also stressed classical elements such as balance, contrast, and refined expression of emotion, baroque (define) became the style of music for the era. Mozart

Some Enlightened Despots Enlightened despots were absolute rulers who used their power to bring about political and social change. Frederick the Great Catherine the Great

Enlightened Despots 1.Most radical of enlightened despots. 2.Granted toleration to Protestants and Jews. 3.Ended censorship and tried to control the Catholic Church. 4.Sold church property to build hospitals. 1.Abolished serfdom. 1.Was interested in Enlightenment ideas but intended to give up no power Made some limited reforms in law and government. 4. Granted nobles a charter of rights. 5. Criticized the institution of serfdom. 1. Exerted tight control over subjects, but saw himself as a “servant of the state.” 2. Tolerated religious differences. 3. Distributed seeds and tools to peasants. JOSEPH II CATHERINE II CATHERINE THE GREAT FREDERICK THE GREAT