“Dare to know. ‘Have the courage to use your own understanding,’ is therefore the motto of the Enlightenment.” - Immanuel Kant

The Enlightenment During the Age of Absolutism, Europeans began encountering innovations in science and reason. Old ideas about faith and tradition (like the divine right) were challenged by new ideas. This time period is known as the Enlightenment and has greatly influenced contemporary history.

The Enlightenment challenged faith & traditional ideas by introducing a philosophy of knowledge based upon observation, experimentation & reason challenged faith & traditional ideas by introducing a philosophy of knowledge based upon observation, experimentation & reason disputed Catholic teachings disputed Catholic teachings proposed that “truths” could & must be proven proposed that “truths” could & must be proven proposed that events happen for logical reasons proposed that events happen for logical reasons

The Enlightenment disputed “divine right” disputed “divine right” proposed that people could not take away rights proposed that people could not take away rights led to increased access to knowledge & a leveling of society led to increased access to knowledge & a leveling of society fostered dissent – & ultimately, that was what the French Revolution was about! fostered dissent – & ultimately, that was what the French Revolution was about!

The Renaissance and the Enlightenment are often considered to be very similar historical eras. What do you think of this idea? If you agree, what similarities exist? If not, what differences come to mind?

Was the Enlightenment “Progress?” What is progress? How do you define it? What is progress? How do you define it? “More than an intellectual concept, the idea of progress included a new conception of historical time and of Europeans’ place within world history…Europeans began to call the epoch “modern” to distinguish it from the Middle Ages, and they considered their modern period superior in achievement.” “More than an intellectual concept, the idea of progress included a new conception of historical time and of Europeans’ place within world history…Europeans began to call the epoch “modern” to distinguish it from the Middle Ages, and they considered their modern period superior in achievement.” - Lynn Hunt in The Making of the West: People and Cultures Are progress and modernity synonymous? Are progress and modernity synonymous? From the “troublesome ideas” list, which do you consider examples of progress? From the “troublesome ideas” list, which do you consider examples of progress?

So… Why does an intellectual revolution speed up a political revolution?