Contextualizing the Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment

Humanism

An intellectual movement during the Renaissance that emphasized individualism and the importance of human reason.

Empiricism

A theory that states knowledge comes only or primarily from sensory experience, often associated with the Scientific Revolution.

Philosophes

Enlightenment thinkers who believed in reason and the improvement of society through logic and science.

Individualism

A social theory favoring freedom of action for individuals over collective or state control.

Scientific Revolution

A period of rapid advances in science, leading to the development of modern science, characterized by a focus on observation, experimentation, and reasoning.

Enlightenment

An intellectual and cultural movement in the 18th century that emphasized reason, science, and individualism, challenging traditional authority.

Public Venues

Places such as salons and coffeehouses where people gathered to discuss and exchange ideas, fostering Enlightenment practices.

Individual Rights

The rights that belong to individuals, emphasized by Enlightenment thinkers, including freedom of speech and religious tolerance.

Print Media

Newspapers and journals that provided a platform for the dissemination and discussion of Enlightenment ideas.

Skepticism

An attitude of doubt toward knowledge, facts, or opinions/beliefs stated as facts, encouraged during the Enlightenment.

Separation of Church and State

The principle of keeping government and religious institutions separate, advocated for during the Enlightenment.

Social Interaction

The process by which people act and react in relation to others, crucial in creating community around Enlightenment ideas.