Enlightenment Philosophers

Locke

Published Treaties on Government

• Believed people can learn from experience and improve

• Criticized absolute monarchy and favored the idea of self government

• believed people are born free and equal

• People were born with the natural rights of Life, Liberty, and Property

Voltaire

Famous quote: “I do not agree with a word you say but will defend to the death your right to say it”

• Very disliked by the french

• supported England government

• sent to prison twice

• Fought for tolerance, reason, freedom of religious belief, and freedom of speech

Montesquieu

Published Oh the Spirit of laws

• Studied political liberty

• Believed Britain was the best governed and most politically balanced

• Created the idea of Separation of powers

• Created the idea of checks and balances

• Made the the branches of government

Rousseau

Published Discourse on the Origins of the Inequality of Man kind

The Social contract

• Believed civilization corrupted peoples natural goodness

• Argued that all people were equal and that titles of nobility should be abolished

• Believed in the general will which talks about how the will of the majority should always work for the common good

Beccaria

• Punishment should fit the crime

• believed that laws existed to preserve social order and not to avenge crimes

• Argued criminals should receive a speedy trial

• Believed Capitol punishment (torture) should not be used

Wollstonecraft

Published A Vindication of the rights of women

• Argued women need education to become useful

• urged women to enter the male dominated fields of medicine and politics

• Pointed out the hypocrisy of the enlightment

Hobbes

Published Leviathan

• Thought people were “wicked”

• believed people don't care about others

• Supported absolute monarchy

• Key believer in the social contract

Diderot

Primary editor in the Encyclopedia

• The Encyclopedia has 28 volumes

• Encyclopedia includes the articles and findings from Voltaire, Rousseau, and Montesquieu

• Banned by the government after volume seven \

• spread enlightenment ideas

Natural rights (Locke)

Life, Liberty, and Property

5 core ideas f the enlightenment

1. Reason

2. Nature

3. Happiness

4. Progress

5. Liberty