the enlightenment thinkers at least some of them

The Enlightenment Thinkers

at least some of them...

John Locke: (English)1632-1704

• Human nature is essentially good/moral

John Locke: 1632-1704

• Human nature is essentially good/moral • We have God given rights of life, liberty, property, and it is

the government's job to protect those rights



the government's job to protect those rights • Social Contract- you give up certain rights in order to have

others protected and maximized



the government's job to protect those rights • Social Contract- you give up certain rights in order to have

others protected and maximized • There is an abundance of resources in the world, so people

do not need to fight over them... enough to go around

Thomas Hobbes: (English)1588-1679

• State of nature is characterized by scarcity and fear. Men are the "solitary, poor, hasty, brutish sort."

Thomas Hobbes:1588-1679


• Natural right is to protect yourself, to SURVIVE




• Social Contract- you give up all power to an absolute ruler




• Social Contract- you give us all power to an absolute ruler

• There is an inherent scarcity of resources in the world and

mankind will fight for what he needs to survive.

Isaac Newton: (English)1643-1727

• Defined the 3 laws of motion


• Defined the 3 laws of motion • Universal law of gravitation



• Showed that one universal law, mathematically proven could

explain all motion in the universe




explain all motion in the universe • Created a new picture of the universe which worked

according to Natural Law rather than religious

Isaac Newton: (English)1643-1727 • Defined the 3 laws of motion

• Universal law of gravitation


explain all motion in the universe • Created a new picture of the universe which worked

according to Natural Law rather than religious • Most famous and first book entitled "Principia" which helped

to remove the last doubts about heliocentricism and propelled the Scientific Revolution

Charles-Louis de Secondat, the Baron de Montesquieu: (French)1689-1755

• All things are made up of laws that never change, and can be studied scientifically



• 3 Types of Government:

1. Monarchy (King or Queen) for moderate size states

2. Republic (ruled by an elected leader) for small states

3. Despotism (ruled by a dictator) for large states



• 3 Types of Government:

1. Monarchy (King or Queen) for moderate size states

2. Republic (ruled by an elected leader) for small states

3. Despotism (ruled by a dictator) for large states

• Balance of Power is essential- 3 branches of Government:

EXECUTIVE/JUDICIAL/LEGISLATIVEBasis of the US Constitution

Francois-Marie Arouet (pen-name: Voltaire): French1694-1778

• 1717 writings got him an 11 month prison sentence for a scathing commentary on French government. Wrote his first success "Oedipe" with the pen name Voltaire



• Attracted to philosophies of Locke and Newton




• Strong belief in religious toleration




• Strong belief in religious toleration

• Championed Deism> religious philosophy based on reason

and natural law. Newton's idea of a world machine. God = the mechanic, runs on natural law- like a clock

Denis Diderot: (French)1713-1784

• Most famous contribution to the Enlightenment was the Encyclopedia- purpose was to change the general way of thinking



• Like Voltaire- supported religious toleration



• Like Voltaire- supported religious toleration

• Helped to spread the ideas of the Enlightenment "Internet of

his time"

Adam Smith: (Scottish)1723-1790

• Published "The Wealth of Nations" which taught Laissez-Faire- let the people do what they want: Government keeps its hands off the economy



• Government has only 3 responsibilities:




1. Protect from invasion (army)




1. Protect from invasion (army) 2. Protect from injustice (police)




1. Protect from invasion (army) 2. Protect from injustice (police) 3. Keep up certain public works ie: roads, canals, (infrastructure) that private individuals could not afford

Jean-Jacques Rousseau: (Swiss)1712-1778

• Man is essentially good. Nature can make him bad- needs society to bring order



• Most important work = "The Social Contract" describes the

relationship of man with society




relationship of man with society • Attacked notion of private property. Some say is a fore-

bearer of modern socialism





bearer of modern socialism • Questioned the correctness of the will of the majority






• Politics and morality should not be separated






• Politics and morality should not be separated

• The state is created to preserve freedom

Cesare Beccaria: (Italian)1738-1794

• Punishments should not be exercises in brutality-condemned torture

Cesare Beccaria: (Italian)1738-1794

• Punishments should not be exercises in brutality-condemned torture

• opposed capital punishment- believed it did not stop others

from committing crimes, but rather set an example of barbarism

Mary Wollstonecraft: (English)1759-1797

• Founder of modern European and American movement for woman's rights



• Her book "A Vindication of the Rights of Women" identified 2

problems with the views of the Enlightenment thinkers:




problems with the views of the Enlightenment thinkers: 1. Those that argued that women obey men also argued that arbitrary (random) powers of monarchs was wrong




problems with the views of the Enlightenment thinkers: 1. Those that argued that women obey men also argued that arbitrary (random) powers of monarchs was wrong 2. Enlightenment based on ideas that reason is present in ALL human beings




problems with the views of the Enlightenment thinkers: 1. Those that argued that women obey men also argued that arbitrary (random) powers of monarchs was wrong 2. Enlightenment based on ideas that reason is present in ALL human beings

• Women should have equal rights in education, economic and political life

the enlightenment thinkers at least some of them

Documents

natural law

human nature

state of nature

laws of motionisaac

brutish sort

rights of life

natural right

certain rights