Enlightenment in EuropeEnlightenment in Europe

EnlightenmentEnlightenment

EnlightenmentEnlightenment Movement where people apply reason and science Movement where people apply reason and science

to all aspects of societyto all aspects of society

Cause and Effect—Cause and Effect—America & EuropeAmerica & Europe CausesCauses

Religious Religious FanaticismFanaticism WitchWitch trials trials Beginning of a Beginning of a merchant merchant

class—aka bourgeoisieclass—aka bourgeoisie Landed AristocracyLanded Aristocracy MonarchiesMonarchies Church & State unitedChurch & State united Church = Church = TruthTruth

EffectsEffects Deism—”natural law” Deism—”natural law” Rise of merchant classRise of merchant class

—aka bourgeoisie—aka bourgeoisie Science/Logic/Reason Science/Logic/Reason

= = TruthTruth Rise of philosophers Rise of philosophers RevolutionRevolution x 3 x 3 The “perfect” societyThe “perfect” society Separation of Separation of Church Church

& State& State DemocracyDemocracy

The EnlightenmentThe Enlightenment

Enlightened thinkers believed that human Enlightened thinkers believed that human reasonreason could be used to combat ignorance, could be used to combat ignorance, superstition, and superstition, and tyrannytyranny and to build a better and to build a better world.world.

Principal targets: Principal targets: ReligionReligion and the domination and the domination of society by hereditary aristocracy. In other of society by hereditary aristocracy. In other words, the church and the state, who often words, the church and the state, who often worked hand-in-hand.worked hand-in-hand.

The Enlightenment—Early The Enlightenment—Early FormsForms

Renaissance Humanists (14Renaissance Humanists (14thth & 15 & 15thth cent.) cent.) Argued that proper worship of God involved admiration of Argued that proper worship of God involved admiration of

his creation, notably His crown of creations: humanity.his creation, notably His crown of creations: humanity. Celebrating humans worships God better than gloomy Celebrating humans worships God better than gloomy

priests who preached original sin and repentancepriests who preached original sin and repentance Galileo Galilei (1632)Galileo Galilei (1632)

Used logic and observation to argue that earth rotates Used logic and observation to argue that earth rotates around sunaround sun

The Church (possessor of Truth) forced him to recant, The Church (possessor of Truth) forced him to recant, objecting that Bible clearly stated that the sun moved objecting that Bible clearly stated that the sun moved through the sky.through the sky.

Led to the advancement of science—Isaac NewtonLed to the advancement of science—Isaac Newton

The Enlightenment—17The Enlightenment—17thth Century Century Enlightenment philosophers combined Enlightenment philosophers combined logiclogic and reason and reason LogicLogic: formal logic is the process(es) by which an : formal logic is the process(es) by which an

argument can be determined as argument can be determined as validvalid or not. An or not. An argument is valid if the argument is valid if the premisespremises are all true, then the are all true, then the conclusion must also be true.conclusion must also be true. Example: All humans have heart. Tom is a human. Example: All humans have heart. Tom is a human.

Therefore, Tom has a heart. Therefore, Tom has a heart. ReasonReason: Enlightenment thinkers stated that it consisted : Enlightenment thinkers stated that it consisted

of of common common sense, observation, and their own sense, observation, and their own unacknowledged prejudices in favor of unacknowledged prejudices in favor of skepticismskepticism and and freedom.freedom.

The Enlightenment—17The Enlightenment—17thth Century Century The 17The 17thth century scene: Dogma & Fanaticism century scene: Dogma & Fanaticism

Witch-huntsWitch-hunts and wars of religion and wars of religion Protestants & Protestants & CatholicsCatholics denounced each other as followers denounced each other as followers

of Satanof Satan People imprisoned for attending People imprisoned for attending wrong wrong churchchurch All publications censored by church and stateAll publications censored by church and state SlaverySlavery widely practiced, defended by religious leaders widely practiced, defended by religious leaders DespotismDespotism of monarchs=“divine right of kings” of monarchs=“divine right of kings” Any opposition was imprisoned or executedAny opposition was imprisoned or executed

Reason and Logic had no room for these mattersReason and Logic had no room for these matters

The Enlightenment—17The Enlightenment—17thth Century Century The 17The 17thth century scene: Dogma & Fanaticism century scene: Dogma & Fanaticism

Witch-hunts and wars of religionWitch-hunts and wars of religion Protestants & Catholics denounced each other as followers Protestants & Catholics denounced each other as followers

of Satanof Satan People imprisoned for attending wrong churchPeople imprisoned for attending wrong church All publications censored by church and stateAll publications censored by church and state Slavery widely practiced, defended by religious leadersSlavery widely practiced, defended by religious leaders Despotism of monarchs=“divine right of kings”Despotism of monarchs=“divine right of kings” Any opposition was imprisoned or executedAny opposition was imprisoned or executed

Reason and Logic had no room for these mattersReason and Logic had no room for these matters

DeismDeism

The word "The word "DeismDeism" is derived from the" is derived from the Latin Latin word for word for God: "God: "Deus.Deus." Deism involves the belief in the " Deism involves the belief in the existence existence of God, on purely rational grounds, without of God, on purely rational grounds, without any reliance on revealed religion or religious any reliance on revealed religion or religious authority. authority.

Deists:Deists: Do not accept the belief of most religions that God Do not accept the belief of most religions that God

revealedrevealed himself to humanity through the writings of the himself to humanity through the writings of the BibleBible, the Qur'an or other , the Qur'an or other religious texts. religious texts.

Disagree Disagree with strong Atheists who assert that there is no with strong Atheists who assert that there is no evidence of the existence of God.evidence of the existence of God.

DeismDeism

Deists regard their faith as a natural religion, as Deists regard their faith as a natural religion, as contrasted with one that is revealed by a God or contrasted with one that is revealed by a God or which is artificially created by humans. They which is artificially created by humans. They reason that since everything that exists has had a reason that since everything that exists has had a creator, then the universe itself must have been creator, then the universe itself must have been created by God. Thomas Paine concluded a speech created by God. Thomas Paine concluded a speech shortly after the French Revolution with: "shortly after the French Revolution with: "God is God is the power of first cause, nature is the law, and the power of first cause, nature is the law, and matter is the subject acted upon.matter is the subject acted upon.""

Thomas Paine on Deism: Thomas Paine on Deism: http://www.scaevola.com/deism/http://www.scaevola.com/deism/

Two Views on Government: Two Views on Government: Thomas HobbesThomas Hobbes

Hobbes wrote a book called Hobbes wrote a book called LeviathanLeviathan All people are selfish and All people are selfish and

wickedwicked Without government there Without government there

would be chaoswould be chaos People agree to a People agree to a social social

contractcontract People give up some rights to People give up some rights to

have law and have law and orderorder Best government is an Best government is an

absolute monarchyabsolute monarchy Keeps order and demands Keeps order and demands

obedienceobedience

Two Views on Government: Two Views on Government: John LockeJohn Locke

Wrote Two Treatises of Wrote Two Treatises of GovernmentGovernment People People learnlearn from experience from experience

and can improve themselvesand can improve themselves Favors the idea of Favors the idea of self-self-

governancegovernance All people are born free with All people are born free with

THREE THREE natural rightsnatural rights Life, liberty and propertyLife, liberty and property

Government must protect Government must protect these or the people must these or the people must overthrowoverthrow it it

Applying ReasonApplying Reason

Philosophers in France believed could apply reason to Philosophers in France believed could apply reason to all aspects of life in five waysall aspects of life in five ways ReasonReason

Truth can be discovered through logical reasonTruth can be discovered through logical reason NatureNature

There are natural laws governing all beingsThere are natural laws governing all beings HappinessHappiness

Those that are patient and follow nature’s laws are happyThose that are patient and follow nature’s laws are happy ProgressProgress

Human society can be perfected and improvedHuman society can be perfected and improved LibertyLiberty

Society needs to be set free and have equalitySociety needs to be set free and have equality

VoltaireVoltaire Published 70 books on Published 70 books on

politics, philosophy and politics, philosophy and historyhistory

Made Made funfun of any of any government and church government and church official because of their official because of their ignoranceignorance Put in jail twice for this and Put in jail twice for this and

fled Paris for viewsfled Paris for views Fought for Fought for tolerationtoleration, ,

religious religious freedomfreedom and and freedom of freedom of speechspeech

Montesquieu and Separation of Montesquieu and Separation of PowersPowers

FrenchFrench Baron who studied Baron who studied political libertypolitical liberty Book wrote called Book wrote called On Spirit On Spirit

of Lawsof Laws

Believed Britain was best Believed Britain was best governed because of governed because of separation of powersseparation of powers Keeps one individual or group Keeps one individual or group

from having from having too muchtoo much power power Later called “Later called “checks and checks and

balancesbalances””

Rousseau: Champion of FreedomRousseau: Champion of Freedom

Said civilization Said civilization corrupts corrupts people’s natural goodnesspeople’s natural goodness Born free but is put in Born free but is put in chainschains

everywhereeverywhere

Only good government is a Only good government is a direct democracydirect democracy People give up some rights People give up some rights

for greater goodfor greater good

Wrote book called the Wrote book called the Social ContractSocial Contract Agreement of people to create Agreement of people to create

a government and no nobilitya government and no nobility

Beccaria Promotes Social JusticeBeccaria Promotes Social Justice

Italian philosopherItalian philosopher Believed laws existed to Believed laws existed to

keep keep orderorder not not punishpunish crimescrimes

Wrote Wrote On Crimes and On Crimes and PunishmentsPunishments Against Against torturetorture and and

punishments that were punishments that were absurdabsurd

For speedy For speedy trialstrials and and punishments fit the crimepunishments fit the crime

Impact of EnlightenmentImpact of Enlightenment Helped scientists find new Helped scientists find new

innovationsinnovations to help society to help society Promoted Promoted reformsreforms

No slaveryNo slavery Women’s rightsWomen’s rights

More More questioningquestioning of of religion with scientific religion with scientific explanationsexplanations

Promoted the idea of the Promoted the idea of the individualindividual Figure out for yourself right Figure out for yourself right

and wrong through reasonand wrong through reason