enlightenment (copy)
- john locke- british, argued that every person was born with a blank mind (tabula rosa) and is molded by their experiences
- isaac newton- believed the world operated according to natural laws that could be investigated
- influenced the belief that scientific method would improve society
- baron de montesquieu- wrote spirit of the laws
- said british government system of checks and balances between branches gives freedom/security to the state
- voltaire- criticized the church and created deism (religious philosophy based on reason/natural law, said that god created earth and left it like a clock)
- diderot- published the encyclopedia
- attacked religious superstition
- supported religious tolerance
- weapon against old french society
- physiocrats-
- wanted to find economic laws that governed society
- believed society would benefit from people pursuing their own economic self-interest
- state should leave economy alone
- adam smith- wrote wealth of nations
- government should protect from invasion, protect from injustice, and keep up things individuals can’t
- rousseau- wrote the social construct
- idea that all of society should go by general will
- emotions AND reason were important