The Enlightenment The Enlightenment 1700-18001700-1800

Immanuel Kant Immanuel Kant What is Enlightenment? What is Enlightenment? (1784)(1784)Enlightenment is man's release from his self-Enlightenment is man's release from his self-

incurred tutelage. Tutelage is man's inability to incurred tutelage. Tutelage is man's inability to make use of his understanding without direction make use of his understanding without direction

from another. Self-incurred is this tutelage when its from another. Self-incurred is this tutelage when its cause lies not in lack of reason but in lack of cause lies not in lack of reason but in lack of

resolution and courage to use it without direction resolution and courage to use it without direction from another. […] Sapere aude. Have courage to from another. […] Sapere aude. Have courage to

use your own reason!"- that is the motto of use your own reason!"- that is the motto of enlightenment. enlightenment.

Origins of EnlightenmentOrigins of Enlightenment

Renaissance/ReformationRenaissance/Reformation– IndividualismIndividualism– ScholarshipScholarship– Increased LiteracyIncreased Literacy

Scientific RevolutionScientific Revolution– Newtonian physics/natural Newtonian physics/natural

laws laws – Empiricism/Scientific MethodEmpiricism/Scientific Method

Age of ExplorationAge of Exploration– Relative truth and moralityRelative truth and morality

Characteristics of the EnlightenmentCharacteristics of the Enlightenment Rationalism/ReasonRationalism/Reason

– Apply Scientific Method Apply Scientific Method to study laws of human to study laws of human naturenature

ProgressProgress– ““Optimism”Optimism”– Create better societiesCreate better societies

FreedomFreedom– Of thought and expressionOf thought and expression– From oppressorsFrom oppressors

The Englightened Individual: The Englightened Individual: The PhilosopheThe Philosophe

French “publicists” of new ideasFrench “publicists” of new ideasSalonsSalons – civilized social gatherings – civilized social gatherings presided over by wealthy womenpresided over by wealthy women

Her circle met daily from five o'clock until Her circle met daily from five o'clock until nine in the evening. There we were sure to nine in the evening. There we were sure to find choice men of all orders in the State, find choice men of all orders in the State, the Church, the Court [....] Politics, the Church, the Court [....] Politics, religion, philosophy, anecdotes, news, religion, philosophy, anecdotes, news, nothing was excluded from the nothing was excluded from the conversation […]News of all kinds was conversation […]News of all kinds was gathered there in its first freshness. gathered there in its first freshness.

On Julie de Lespinasse On Julie de Lespinasse

Pre-Enlightenment Philosophy in Pre-Enlightenment Philosophy in the Age of Reasonthe Age of Reason

1717thth century Europe century Europe Science + Philosophy Science + Philosophy John LockeJohn Locke

An Essay Concerning An Essay Concerning Human Understanding Human Understanding

(1690)(1690)

Thomas Hobbes Thomas Hobbes LeviathanLeviathan (1651) (1651)

Philosophes & Human NaturePhilosophes & Human Nature

Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social ContractThe Social Contract (1762)(1762)

Voltaire, Voltaire, The Philosophical DictionaryThe Philosophical Dictionary (1764) (1764)

The Great DebateThe Great Debate

Reason & LogicReason & Logic Tradition & Tradition & SuperstitionSuperstition

Rationalism Empiricism Tolerance Skepticism

Nostalgia Religion Irrationalism

Emotionalism

vs

The Big QuestionsThe Big Questions What is the nature of man?What is the nature of man? Is society governed by Is society governed by

natural laws?natural laws? What is the purpose of What is the purpose of

government?government? What is the best form of What is the best form of

government? government?