APEURO UNIT 4 Enlightenment

the Enlightenment

an intellectual movement in the 17th and 18th centuries emphasizing reason, science, and individualism over tradition; using reason to determine if traditional beliefs were still valuable. It influenced social, political, and economic thought in Europe and beyond.

Montesquieu

A French philosopher and political theorist known for his work "The Persian Letters” in which Uzbeck visitors find Europe amusing; emphasized the flaws in European and other societies alike

Voltaire

A prominent Enlightenment writer and philosopher known for his advocacy of civil liberties, separation of church and state, and criticism of religious dogma, particularly in works such as "Candide" and "Treatise on Tolerance."; advocated for absolutism

Candide

A satirical novella written by Voltaire that critiques optimism and explores the absurdities of life through the misadventures of its main character, Candide.

Jean-Jaques Rousseau

A French philosopher known for his work "The Social Contract," which outlined his ideas on political philosophy, popular sovereignty, and the concept of the general will.

Emile

A work by Jean-Jacques Rousseau that discusses education and the development of the individual in society, emphasizing the importance of experience and natural growth; middle class values of practicality, domesticity for women, etc.

salons

Social gatherings in which intellectuals and artists discussed ideas during the Enlightenment, fostering discussions on philosophy, literature, and politics.

philosophe

A term that refers to the intellectuals of the Enlightenment in France who sought to promote social progress and reform through reason and critical thinking.

Encyclopedie

A collective French work edited by Denis Diderot and Jean le Rond d'Alembert, aimed at gathering and disseminating knowledge across various fields, promoting Enlightenment ideals of reason and critiquing established doctrines; included natural rights and the status of women + technical designs

David Hume

A Scottish philosopher known for his empiricism and skepticism; argued that knowledge is primarily derived from sensory experience and is significant for his contributions to philosophy, particularly concerning human understanding and morality; argued that belief in God was mere superstition

Deists

Individuals who emerged in the Enlightenment who argued that God existed but that he didn’t influence everyday life

Jean Calas

A French Protestant whose wrongful execution in 1762 for allegedly murdering his son led to public outrage and a campaign for religious tolerance, significantly influencing Enlightenment thought and legal reform; Voltaire, specifically, was outraged

Guillaume Raynal

A French historian and philosopher who played a key role in promoting Enlightenment ideas about history and society, particularly through his work on colonialism and criticism of European imperialism.

Olaudah Equiano

A prominent African abolitionist and writer whose autobiography detailed his experiences as a slave and his journey to freedom, contributing significantly to the anti-slavery movement in the Enlightenment.

The Social Contract

Rousseau picked up on Locke’s theme of the contract individuals made with one another to form a state or nation; argued in this text that the power is vested in the people; in order to protect their natural rights, they give some of that power over to the state; if the government becomes tyrannical, than the people have the right to revolt

Emmanuel Kant

A German philosopher who focused in individual reason; everyone should think for themselves

Moses Mendelssohn

A Jewish philosopher of the Enlightenment who advocated for religious toleration and the integration of Jews into European society, known for his work on rationalism and ethics; believed that the age-old persecution of the Jewish people would soon end

rationalism

everything in human life could and should be submitted to the process of reason; pioneered by Kepler, Newton, Galileo and others

Mary Wollstonecraft

An English writer and advocate for women's rights, best known for her work "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman" which argues for equality and education for women.

A Vindication of the Rights of Women

A seminal work by Mary Wollstonecraft that argues for the rights of women, emphasizing the importance of education and equality in society.

The Spirit of the Laws

A foundational work in political theory by Montesquieu; argued that separating power into multiple branches of government is that each branch can check the other was the only way to avoid tyranny and encourage equality

Denis Diderot

A French philosopher and a key figure of the Enlightenment who co-founded the Encyclopédie, promoting knowledge and reason as means to improve society.

Adam Smith

A Scottish economist and philosopher known as the father of modern economics; he authored "The Wealth of Nations," which discusses the principles of free market capitalism and the benefits of self-interest in economic activity; criticized mercantilism; advocated supply and demand

Physiocrats

French economic thinkers

Robert Jacques Turgot

A French economist and key figure of the Physiocratic school, known for advocating for free trade and the idea of the natural order of economics.

skepticism

A philosophical approach that questions the validity of certain knowledge claims, emphasizing doubt and inquiry as a path to understanding.

Pietism

belief that emphasizes personal faith, focusing on individual relationships with God and the importance of spiritual, mystical experience.

John Wesley

An English cleric and founder of the Methodist movement, he emphasized personal faith and the need for social reform, advocating for experiential religion.

Methodist

A denomination of Christianity that originated with the teachings of John Wesley, emphasizing personal faith and social justice.