Great Philosophers of the Enlightenment

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What did Rousseau look like?

What was Rousseau's full name?

Jean Jacques Rousseau

What were Rousseau's main ideas?

- Society needed a social contract
- Believed human nature was good, argued about the noble savage
- Believed civilization corrupted society
- He has romantic ideas, not very scientific ones
- He believed in individual freedom
- Everyone is equal and nobles titles should be abolished

What did Rousseau mean by society needed a social contract?

He believed if we had no government, we would form a social contract, an agreement, to give up some of our freedom in favor of the majority, and that the community would vote and agree on decisions

What did Rousseau mean by human nature was good and why did he argue about the noble savage?

Rousseau believed humans were naturally good, but civilization corrupted us. He called people that were not corrupted by society noble savages

What did Rousseau mean by civilization corrupted society?

He believed when in society, we become obsessed with being perfect, being praised, and being too prideful and proud of your appearance.

What are romantic ideas and why did Rousseau have them?

When he said he has romantic ideas, not scientific ones, it means that his ideas and inspiration comes from his emotion, and that his emotion is the core of his being.

What did Rousseau mean by individual freedom?

He believed humans were "in chains" and he thought we should not be, we should be free

What did Rousseau mean when he said titles should be abolished?

He believed titles were dumb and everyone is equal, meaning we should get rid of titles all together

What type of government did Rousseau want?

A direct democracy

Were his ideas rejected or accepted at this time?

His ideas were rejected at the time, but they are the most powerful today

What is a direct democracy?

A government in which people vote to make their own rules and laws, one without a ruler or representatives

What does the quote "Everymen is born free, and everywhere men is in chains", said by Rousseau, mean?

All humans are born with equal rights but the chains is the government and society that is constricting us and setting rules

What did Voltaire look like?

What was Voltaire's real name?

Francois Marie Arouet

What were Voltaire's main ideas?

- Freedom of religion
- Freedom of speech
- Hated intolerance, prejustice, and superstition

What did Voltaire mean by freedom of religion?

He believed you should be allowed to pursue whatever religion you would like, whether it be Catholic, Christian, or no religion at all. He was atheist.

What did Voltaire mean by freedom of speech?

He believed speech should have no limitations. At the time, you weren't allowed to speak badly about the government. Voltaire believed you should be able to say whatever you want, even if it's against the government, as long as you don't act on it.

Why did Voltaire hate superstition?

He was atheist and didn't believe in superstition, he used logic to solve problems

What type of government did Voltaire want?

An enlightened monarch

What is an enlightened monarch?

An absolute monarch that protects the basic rights of people

Did Voltaire think you were allowed to rebel against the government?

No

Were Voltaire's ideas accepted or rejected at the time?

His ideas were accepted by rulers of other nations

What does the quote "I do not agree with a word you said, but I will defend to the death your right to say it", said by Voltaire, mean?

Even if he hates what someone said, or he hates someone, he believed in freedom of speech and would defend their right to say it no matter what

Who was the most famous and known philosopher at the time?

Voltaire

What does Montesquieu look like?

What was Montesquieu's full name?

Baron de Montesquieu

What were Montesquieu's main points?

- Believed in elected parliaments
- Advocated for the separation of powers in the three branches of government
- Advocated for a system of checks and balances

What did Montesquieu mean by he advocated for the separation of powers in the three branches of government?

He wanted each branch to be equal with equal amount of power

What is the legislative branch?

The branch of government that makes the laws

What is the executive branch?

The branch of government that enforces the laws

What is the judicial branch?

Branch of government that decides if laws are carried out fairly and interprets laws

What are the tree branches of government?

Legislative, executive, and judicial

What did Montesquieu mean by a system of checks and balances?

Each branch constantly checks each other to make sure the distribution of power is equal and balanced

What system did Montesquieu admire?

The English system, a constitutional monarchy

What type of government did Montesquieu want?

A constitutional monarchy

What does the quote "It is necessary from the very nature of things, that power should be a check to power", said by Montesquieu, mean?

There should be a distribution of power and it is always being checked to make sure it's balanced