Enlightenment: Theories of Childhood
Locke, Rousseau, and Dwight
I. Enlightenment Overview
Interest in Natural World God as “divine watchmaker” Reason/Rationality (“Age of Reason”) Order (in universe, natural laws, human nature) Secularization of politics/education/science.
II) John Locke, 1632-1704
Locke
Some Thoughts Concerning Education (1693) Secular Puritan Children born neither good nor bad
III) Jean Jacque Rousseau, 1712-1778
Rousseau
Emile, or On Education Nature (“God makes all things good; man meddles
with them and they become evil.”) Children Naturally Good Will Provides Motivation “Feral Children”
Victor the “Wolf Boy”—France, 1798
IV) Timothy Dwight, 1752-1817
Dwight
Second Great Awakening Grace as Motivator Unitarians Romantic Movement Bronson Alcott
Victor, the “wolf boy,” ca. 1786-1828
Other “feral children”
Camp Meeting
Second Great Awakening hysteria
Bronson Alcott