The European Enlightenment Jeffrey L. Richey, Ph.D. GSTR 221-A: Western Traditions II Berea College Spring 2005

BEFORE THE ENLIGHTENMENT Nature seen as creation of personal God and arena of His ongoing activity Earth regarded as center of universe around which sun and planets revolved Humanity seen as the “crown of creation” Uncritical, near-total dependence on a few ancient Greek and Roman texts and thinkers

THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION Newly available classical texts raise doubts about time-honored authorities Interest in realistic depiction in art inspires study of anatomy and geometry Popularity of astrology and alchemy fuels quest for systematic knowledge of natural laws “Knowledge is power” – Francis Bacon ( )

ROOTS OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT Cumulative trauma of constant warfare and persecution in the name of Christianity Resentment of aristocratic tyranny and monopoly on education by increasingly literate middle class Appeal of naturalistic, scientific, and rational explanations of phenomena Post-Reformation preference for individual freedom of conscience and belief

GALILEO GALILEI ( ) Italian Catholic mathematician Confirms Copernicus’ heliocentric theory Demonstrates shared nature of other planets with Earth through observation Forced to recant views by Pope Dies while under house arrest

RENÉ DESCARTES ( ) French Catholic aristocrat “I think therefore I am” – celebrates the power of individual rationality Affirms dualism of mind and body Regards nature and humanity as mechanistic in character, with regular, predictable laws and processes

GOTTFRIED WILHELM LEIBNIZ ( ) German accomplished in many areas (law, mathematics, science, etc.) Hopes his philosophy will provide basis for reunification of Western European Christianity Argues that “we live in the best of all possible worlds” because universe was created by perfect God Great admirer of China

IMMANUEL KANT ( ) German university professor; among most influential Western philosophers Argues that human knowledge is limited to mathematics and the empirical, natural world Affirms that humans ought to treat one another as ends, not means, and that we should act only in ways in which we would want everyone to act in all situations

JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU ( ) French philosophe Believes that human beings in “state of nature” were happy without laws, police, or private property Argues that introduction of private property devastated primeval bliss of humankind Interested in Native Americans Sees “social contract” as compromise between society and individual

CONSEQUENCES OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT Decentralization of Earth in cosmos Displacement of God from traditional location (heaven) and role (director) Skepticism about “divine right of kings” claimed by European monarchs Weakening of Church’s influence on global affairs and intellectual life Rejection of supernatural explanations of all kinds Renewed optimism about human potential for knowledge and power View of cosmos as self- regulating “machine” with human beings in control “Enlightened absolutism” (reform-minded monarchy) Revolutionary republicanism (British North America, France) Replacement of religion with science as ultimate authority among literate elites