The Enlightenment in The Enlightenment in EuropeEurope

Chapter 2 part 1Chapter 2 part 1

An Overview of the 18c

► Political History Political History >>> >>> Reform

► Intellectual History Intellectual History Newtonian Physics Reason

► Cultural History Cultural History Individualism

► Social History Social History Increased Literacy “Age of Aristocracy”

► Economic History Economic History > > Mercantilism to Capitalism

The Origins of Enlightenment?

► SCIENTIFICSCIENTIFIC::

e Newton’s system was Newton’s system was synonymoussynonymouswith the with the empiricalempirical and the and the practical.practical.e Scientific laws could be Scientific laws could be

expressed as expressed as universal mathematical universal mathematical formulas.formulas.e Science allowed alternatives Science allowed alternatives

to beto beimagined in everything from imagined in everything from politicspoliticsto religion.to religion.

Definition of empirical

-derived from or guided by experience or experiment.

-provable or verifiable by experience or experiment.

Synonyms

practical, firsthand, pragmatic.

The Characteristics of the Enlightenment

1.1. Rationalism Rationalism reason is the reason is the arbiter of allarbiter of all things. things.

2.2. Cosmology Cosmology a new concept of a new concept of man, hisman, his existence on earth, & existence on earth, & thethe place of the earth in place of the earth in thethe universe. universe.

3.3. Secularism Secularism application of the application of the methods ofmethods of science to religion & science to religion & philosophy. philosophy.

The Characteristics of the Enlightenment

4.4. Scientific MethodScientific Method

Mathematical analysisMathematical analysis

ExperimentationExperimentation

Inductive reasoning.Inductive reasoning.

5.5. Utilitarianism Utilitarianism the greatest the greatest good for good for the greatest the greatest number.number.

6.6. Tolerance Tolerance No opinion is No opinion is worth worth burning your burning your neighbor for.neighbor for.

The Characteristics of the Enlightenment

7.7. Optimism & Self-ConfidenceOptimism & Self-Confidence

The belief that man is The belief that man is intrinsically good.intrinsically good.

The belief in social progress.The belief in social progress.

8.8. FreedomFreedom

Of thought and expression.Of thought and expression.

Bring liberty to all men (modern Bring liberty to all men (modern battle against absolutism).battle against absolutism).

9.9. Education of the MassesEducation of the Masses

The Characteristics of the Enlightenment

10.10.Legal ReformsLegal Reforms

Justice, kindness, and charity Justice, kindness, and charity no torture or indiscriminant no torture or indiscriminant incarceration.incarceration.

Due process of law. Due process of law.

11.11.ConstitutionalismConstitutionalism

Written constitutions Written constitutions listing listing citizens, rights.citizens, rights.

All humans were naturally selfish All humans were naturally selfish and wicked, therefore and wicked, therefore governments must keep order.governments must keep order.

People should hand over their People should hand over their rights to a strong ruler. This was rights to a strong ruler. This was what Hobbes called a what Hobbes called a social social contractcontract..

Strong ruler should have total Strong ruler should have total power (an absolute monarchy).power (an absolute monarchy).

This powerful government with This powerful government with awesome power is what he called awesome power is what he called a leviathan (sea monster) a leviathan (sea monster) therefore he titled his book therefore he titled his book LeviathanLeviathan (1651). (1651).

Thomas HobbesThomas Hobbes

John LockeJohn Locke People were reasonable People were reasonable

(though still selfish) and (though still selfish) and had the natural rights to had the natural rights to life, liberty, and property.life, liberty, and property.

Purpose of government is Purpose of government is to protect these natural to protect these natural rights.rights.

Government power comes Government power comes from the consent of the from the consent of the people.people.

VoltaireVoltaire Wrote more than 70 Wrote more than 70

books of political essays, books of political essays, philosophy, and drama.philosophy, and drama.

Used satire against his Used satire against his enemies, especially the enemies, especially the clergy.clergy.

Beliefs:Beliefs: ToleranceTolerance ReasonReason Freedom of religious beliefFreedom of religious belief Freedom of speechFreedom of speech ““I do not agree with a word I do not agree with a word

you say but will defend to you say but will defend to the death your right to say the death your right to say it.”it.”

Jean-Jacques RousseauJean-Jacques Rousseau

Passionately Passionately committed to committed to individual freedom.individual freedom.

Believed man was Believed man was born free and good born free and good but easily but easily corrupted.corrupted.

Believed the only Believed the only good government good government was the “general was the “general will” or direct will” or direct democracy.democracy.

Cesare Bonesana BeccariaCesare Bonesana Beccaria BeliefsBeliefs

Laws existed to preserve Laws existed to preserve social order, not avenge social order, not avenge crime.crime.

Accused should receive Accused should receive speedy trials.speedy trials.

Torture should never be Torture should never be used.used.

Degree of punishment Degree of punishment should match seriousness of should match seriousness of crime.crime.

Capital punishment (death Capital punishment (death penalty) should be abolished.penalty) should be abolished.

Mary WollstonecraftMary Wollstonecraft Women should be Women should be

equally educated equally educated along with men.along with men.

Women should enter Women should enter professions professions traditionally traditionally dominated by men dominated by men like medicine and like medicine and politics.politics.

Wrote Wrote A Vindication of A Vindication of the Rights of Womanthe Rights of Woman

The Legacy of the Enlightenment?

1.1.The democratic revolutions The democratic revolutions begun in America in 1776 and begun in America in 1776 and continued in Amsterdam, continued in Amsterdam, Brussels, and especially in Brussels, and especially in Paris in the late 1780s, put Paris in the late 1780s, put every Western government on every Western government on the defensive.the defensive.2.2.Reform, democracy, and Reform, democracy, and republicanism had been republicanism had been placed irrevocably on the placed irrevocably on the Western agenda.Western agenda.

The Legacy of the Enlightenment?

3.3.New forms of civil New forms of civil society arose –-- society arose –-- clubs, salons, clubs, salons, fraternals, private fraternals, private academies, lending academies, lending libraries, and libraries, and professional/scientific professional/scientific organizations.organizations.

The Legacy of the Enlightenment?

4. It established a materialistic 4. It established a materialistic tradition based on an ethical tradition based on an ethical system derived solely from a system derived solely from a naturalistic account of the naturalistic account of the human condition (thehuman condition (the “Religion “Religion of Nature”of Nature”).).5.Theoretically endowed with full 5.Theoretically endowed with full civil and legal rights, thecivil and legal rights, the individualindividual had come into had come into existence as a political and social existence as a political and social force to be reckoned with.force to be reckoned with.

Mary ShelleyMary Shelley

Daughter of Mary Daughter of Mary Wollstonecraft.Wollstonecraft.

Mistress and later Mistress and later wife of poet Percy wife of poet Percy Bysshe Shelley.Bysshe Shelley.

Author of Author of FrankensteinFrankenstein in the in the summer of 1816, summer of 1816, Later published in Later published in 1818.1818.

Frivolous But Interesting Frivolous But Interesting InformationInformation

Climate and the writing of Climate and the writing of FrankensteinFrankenstein

April 1815, Mount April 1815, Mount Tambora on the Tambora on the island of Sumbawa, island of Sumbawa, Indonesia erupts. Indonesia erupts. This was the This was the world’s largest world’s largest eruption in 1,600 eruption in 1,600 years. (7 on the years. (7 on the Volcanic Volcanic Explosivity Index)Explosivity Index)

Climate and the writing of Climate and the writing of Frankenstein Frankenstein (continued)(continued)

Immense amounts of volcanic dust Immense amounts of volcanic dust ejected into the atmosphere. ejected into the atmosphere.

In the summer of 1816 temperatures In the summer of 1816 temperatures in northern Europe, Canada, and the in northern Europe, Canada, and the northeastern United States were at northeastern United States were at record lows. Crop failures occurred record lows. Crop failures occurred when a May frost destroyed crops when a May frost destroyed crops already planted.already planted.

1816 has since been called “The Year 1816 has since been called “The Year Without a Summer.”Without a Summer.”

Climate and the writing of Climate and the writing of Frankenstein Frankenstein (continued)(continued)

Effects of this volcanic winter throughout the Effects of this volcanic winter throughout the worldworld Westward migration from the colder New England states Westward migration from the colder New England states

in the United States in search of the richer soil of the in the United States in search of the richer soil of the upper Midwestupper Midwest

Food shortages, rioting and looting of food stores in Food shortages, rioting and looting of food stores in Europe which was also recovering from the effects of the Europe which was also recovering from the effects of the Napoleonic WarsNapoleonic Wars

Storms and abnormal rainfall in Europe causing massive Storms and abnormal rainfall in Europe causing massive flooding of riversflooding of rivers

Unusually low temperatures, including summer snowfall Unusually low temperatures, including summer snowfall in China causing faminein China causing famine

Brown and red snow falling in Hungary and Italy from Brown and red snow falling in Hungary and Italy from the presence of volcanic ash in the atmospherethe presence of volcanic ash in the atmosphere

Climate and the writing of Climate and the writing of Frankenstein Frankenstein (continued)(continued)

Inventions sparked by this Inventions sparked by this volcanic wintervolcanic winter Velocipede (now called Velocipede (now called

bicycles) invented bicycles) invented because of a lack of because of a lack of grain to feed horsesgrain to feed horses

Chemist Chemist Justus von Justus von LiebigLiebig, who experience , who experience this famine as a child, this famine as a child, researched and researched and introduced chemical introduced chemical fertilizers into fertilizers into agriculture.agriculture.

Climate and the writing of Climate and the writing of Frankenstein Frankenstein (continued)(continued)

The Shelley’s (Mary The Shelley’s (Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin Wollstonecraft Godwin calling herself Mary calling herself Mary Shelley though she is not Shelley though she is not yet married to Percy) yet married to Percy) spend the summer with spend the summer with Lord Byron at his villa by Lord Byron at his villa by Lake Geneva in Lake Geneva in Switzerland.Switzerland.

The weather being too The weather being too cold to carry out normal cold to carry out normal summer activities, the summer activities, the group reside indoors group reside indoors staying up all night in staying up all night in intellectual discussions. intellectual discussions. They often sit around the They often sit around the fire reading German ghost fire reading German ghost stories.stories.

Illustration from the 1831 edition.

Climate and the writing of Climate and the writing of Frankenstein Frankenstein (continued)(continued)

Lord Byron suggests Lord Byron suggests that to entertain that to entertain themselves indoors themselves indoors each of them write his each of them write his or her own supernatural or her own supernatural tale.tale.

During this time Mary During this time Mary Godwin conceived of the Godwin conceived of the idea for idea for FrankensteinFrankenstein..

Therefore, being shut in Therefore, being shut in due to the weather due to the weather caused by a volcanic caused by a volcanic winter brought about winter brought about the occasion of the the occasion of the writing of this famous writing of this famous novel.novel.

Boris Karloff as the Monster in 1931.