UNIT 7

Enlightenment

Pre Notes

In a way, the Enlightenment was like a 2nd Renaissance—changed way of thinking but politically rather than socially

Part 1 The Enlightenment Reading Assignment pg. 462-466, 552-560 and 564-575

Enlightenment (1750+) vs. Traditional thoughtdemolish Aristotelian (he thought the sun and planets revolved around the

Earth) medieval science= Greek philosophers and scientists

The philosophy of the Enlightenment grew out of the _Scientific__ _Revolution__

If people used laws to govern science, why not use reason to discover natural laws= laws that govern human nature

uncertainty of religious truthinfluence of travel literature on non-European lands

& cultures

Traditional thought included the ideas of Thomas Hobbes 1588-1679: 1. *Hobbes believed people were naturally cruel, greedy,

and selfish. Life in a “state of nature” or without laws would be nasty, brutal and short— caveman (Pathleothic) daysAg. Rev.

2. *Hobbes said people had entered a social contract…agreement where ppl five up their state of nature for the good of an organized society

3. Hobbes said people give up their state of nature for an organized society= government (law)

4. Hobbes said the best government was an Absolute Monarchy___ or a _dictatorship___.

5. wrote the book _Leviathon_____. Famous quote, “The dangers of anarchy are greater than those of tyranny.”

Formative Influences/*Two most important influences were _Newton___ and _Locke___

Isaac Newton (Anglican) – 1642-1727— best known for his laws of science; he did much else.

approach the study of nature directly and to avoid metaphysics and supernaturalism

methods of natural science could and should be used to examine and understand all aspects of life

i. reason-scientific way of thinkingscientific method was capable of discovering the laws

of human society as well as those of nature (psychology & sociology)

John Locke – 1632-1704*An Essay Concerning Human Understanding – all

humans enter the world a blank page (clean _slate_) (Tabula Rusa)

personality is a product of the sensations that impinge on an individual from the external world throughout his or her life

experience and only experience shapes characterhuman nature is changeable and can be molded by

modifying the surrounding physical and social environment

human beings could take charge of their own destiny

First Treatise of Government and Second Treatise of Government a. John Locke believed people were moral and reasonable b. Locke believed people had natural rights= rights that belong to all

humans from birth   c. these natural rights included life, liberty, and property. d. Locke rejected an _absolute___ monarchy and favored a _democracy_

and _limited___ government. i. Locke believed that the government has an obligation to the people. If the government fails to meet the people’s needs, or violates their natural rights they can overthrow it. ii. *Locke’s ideas would lead to the American Revolution. 3. Letter Concerning Toleration: Locke said . . . Religious liberty in separation of state needs to be used

Example of British Toleration Especially noted after 1688= Glorious Revolutionfreer than any other European nations*examples of toleration

England permitted religious toleration to everyone but Unitarians and Roman Catholics

Relative freedom of ____speech______ and ___press___. Authority of the monarchy was limited; Parliament exercised

much control. Parliament elected their own leader the Prime Minister.

Domestic economy of Great Britain was the least regulated. E. *The Enlightenment flourished in a print

culture

Philosophes= lovers of wisdom *The writers and critics who forged the new attitudes favorable

to change, who championed reform, and who flourished in the emerging print culture

they sought to apply the rules of reason and common sense to nearly all the major institutions and social practices of the day

supported the economic growth, the expansion of trade, and the improvement of transport, and enlarging the middle class

they worked to expose contemporary social and political abuses and argued that reform was necessary and possible

the chief bond was their common desire to reform thought, society, and government for the sake of human liberty

delivered their message through books, pamphlets, plays, novels, philosophical treatises, encyclopedias, newspapers, and magazines.

The philosophes complained that the churches hindered the pursuit of a rational life and the scientific study of humanity and nature

according to the doctrine of original sin, Protestant and Catholic, meaningful improvement in human nature on earth was impossible

hated Calvinists’ doctrine of predestination =the belief that God long ago determined who goes to heaven

*philosophes criticized the Christian church for:

inciting wars doctrinal disputes and _intolerance___. encouraging more concern with the _afterlife___ than with life on

earth. teaching that humans were fundamentally __sinful_____.

Deism (a religion apart from Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, etc)=

thought that the God who had created nature must also be rational, and the religion through which that God was worshiped should be rational. The life of religion and of reason could be combined. God created the universe and allowed it to function without interference according to the mechanisms of nature.

*two major points in the deist’s creed.a belief in the existence of a _rational__ Goda belief in life after death based on the virtue of the lives people led on Earth1. religious toleration was a primary social condition for

a virtuous life

The Philosophes and Their IdeasFrancois Marie Arouet (Voltaire) – 1694-1778—from

France (Voltaire is most known for Freedom of Speech)

*Letters on the English – praised the virtues of the English and indirectly criticized the abuses of French society—unfair tax system & they used absolute monarchy

*Candide – attacked war, religious persecution, & human condition

Philosophical Dictionary – pointed out inconsistencies in biblical narratives and immoral acts of the biblical heroes

a. essay challenged the Catholic Church and Christian theology

4. (disregard this number)

Denis Diderot – 1713-1784 & Jean le Rond d’Alembert – 1717-1783—from Fr.

*Encyclopedia – a collective plea for freedom of expression included critical ideas of the time on religion, gov’t., & philosophy science and the industrial arts were exalted, religion and

immortality questioned. Intolerance, legal injustice, and out-of-date institutions were openly criticized.

Greater knowledge would result in greater human happiness. Knowledge was useful and made possible economic, social, and

political progress. included important articles and illustrations on manufacturing,

canal building, ship construction, and improved agriculture 2. *the Encyclopedia was not written entirely by Denis Diderot and

Jean le Rond d’Alembert./French gov’t. put a ban on the encyclopedia

Charles Louis de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu – 1689-1755 = lawyer, noble of the robe (from Fr.), and a member of a provincial parlement.

The Persians’ Letters = criticized existing European practices and beliefs *The Spirit of Laws = comparative study of republics, monarchies, and

despotisms forms of government were related to history, geography, and customs there could be no single set of political laws that applied to all peoples at all

times and in all places The best form of government for a country was a monarchy or a republic depends on its size, population, social and religious customs, economic

structure, traditions, and climate Believed in a monarchical government tempered and limited by various sets of

intermediary institutions a. theory on separation of powers = “*power checks power” *division of power in government=checks & balances executive power resided in the king, legislative power in the parliament, and

judicial power in the courts. Any two branches could check and balance the power of the other

Jean-Jacques Rousseau – 1712-1778—from France Discourse on the Moral Effects of the Arts and Sciences *process of civilization and enlightenment had corrupted human

nature (believed in a “blank slate” like Locke) Discourse on the Origin of Inequality *blamed much of the evil in the world on the uneven distribution

of property The Social Contract –came up with the idea “All men are born free, but everywhere they are in chains” society is more important than its individual members believed that the general will must always be right and that to

obey the general will is to be free. general will= best for society the general will is sacred and absolute—“tyranny of majority” justification for direct democracy

Emilemen & women occupy separate sphereswomen should be educated for a position

subordinate to menwomen are to bear and rear childrenwomen are to make themselves pleasing to

meneducation must shield the naturally unspoiled

child from the corrupting influences of civilization and too many books

David Hume – 1711-1776Inquiry into Human Nature no empirical evidence supported the belief in

divine miracles central to much of Christianity.The human mind is really nothing but a bundle of

impressions. Impressions originate only in sense experiences and our habits of joining these experiences together. Since our ideas reflect our sense experiences, our reason cannot tell us anything about questions like the origin of the universe or the existence of God—close to _atheism___.

Baron Paul d’Holbach (atheist)– 1723-1789human beings were machines completely

determined by outside forces*Free will, god, and immortality of the soul were

foolish myths.3. Marie-Therese Geoffrin(1699-1777), Julie de

Lespinasse (1733-1776), Claudine de Tencin (1689-1749) = women that

provided the philosophes an environment in which to circulate their ideas.

Mary Wollstonecraft: (1759-1797)—from England

a. wrote Vindication of the Rights of Women: criticize Rousseau’s views on women; inspiration

for women’s civil rights movement2. salons = an informal social gathering at which

people exchanged ideas about enlightenment, usually hosted by women

Physiocrats*What is a physiocrat?See page G-7

Adam Smith (1723-1790) leader of liberalism—from Scotland, U.K. *Wealth of Nations – book supporting laissez –faire philosophy= limited role for the __government____ in the economy; not an absent role but

limited! favored economic growth through competitive free enterprise *distrusted government and wanted England to end their mercantile

economic system. gov’t should maintain currency, enforce contracts, protect property,

impose low tariffs and taxes *gov’t should maintain and provide schools, roads and enough armed

forces & naval power to protect economic structure and foreign trade. *According to Smith’s four stage theory, human societies move from barbarism to ___civilization_______.   B. The most important enlightenment thought came from what

country? France

Part 2 Enlightened Absolutism Reading Assignment pg. 580-589

enlightened absolutism – monarchical government dedicated to the rational strengthening of the central absolutist administration at the cost of other lesser centers of political power

promote a series of religious, legal, or social reforms usually for their own benefit

Frederick II the Great of Prussia – ruled 1740-1786

2. Joseph II of Austria – ruled 1765-1780

3. Catherine the Great of Russia – ruled1762-1796

II. The Partition of Poland:

John Locke