The Enlightenment

The Enlightenment 5.1

Central Quote

  • "Except our own thoughts, there is nothing absolutely in our power."

    • Attribution: René Descartes (1596-1650)

Essential Question

  • How did the Enlightenment shape the intellectual and ideological thinking that affected reform and revolution after 1750?

Overview of the Enlightenment

  • Definition: A movement emphasizing reason over tradition and individualism over community.

  • Context: Emerging during the expansion of empires and increased global trade in the 17th and 18th centuries.

  • Impact: Challenged established roles of monarchs and church leaders, planting revolutionary ideas in the United States, France, and worldwide.

Age of New Ideas

  • Origin: Grew from the Scientific Revolution and Renaissance humanism.

  • Outlook: Optimistic belief in progress through reason.

  • Religious Context: Traditional religion became less dominant; human accomplishments were prioritized in understanding the natural world.

  • Emergence of New Ideologies:

    • Socialism: Emphasis on collective ownership and welfare.

    • Liberalism: Advocated for civil liberties and political reforms.

    • Conservatism: A reactionary ideology that upheld traditional values, popular among European elites.

  • Key consequences of Enlightenment ideas:

    • Sparked revolutions aimed at independence and constitutional representation.

    • Emergence of nationalism as a loyalty to shared language and culture, contributing to the decline of multiethnic empires.

Influential Thinkers of the Enlightenment

Francis Bacon

  • Contributions: Advocated for empirical methods of scientific inquiry.

    • Definition of Empiricism: Belief that knowledge arises from sensory experience and observation.

Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)

  • Key Work: Leviathan (1651)

  • Philosophical Stance: Humans exist in a natural state that is grim and chaotic.

    • Social Contract Theory: Individuals consent to relinquish some freedoms for security provided by a strong central authority.

John Locke (1632-1704)

  • Key Work: Two Treatises of Government (1690)

  • Philosophical Difference with Hobbes: Advocated that citizens have the right and responsibility to revolt against unjust rule.

    • Natural Rights: Life, liberty, and the pursuit of property.

    • Concept of Tabula Rasa: Infants are born as a