Enlightenment

-to give intellectual or spiritual light to; instruct; impart knowledge to -Intellectual movement stressing reason, thought, problem-solving

The State of the World

Essentially, Newton and his predecessors demolished the medieval view of reality and created a new scientific view of reality Enlightenment thinkers, then, were going to be the ones to reconstruct the view of man and society into this new scientific reality

The Natural World? The Societal World? What did they consist of?

HOW DO YOU THINK MEDIEVAL EUROPEANS VIEWED THEIR WORLD?

Medieval European view: Man is flesh and spirit

Nature God Saints & Angels Man Lower Life Forms
Did include people

Society Hierarchy:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Priests Royalty Upper Class/Middle Class Peasants Anyone else?

Inanimate Objects
Plants, animals, rocks, etc

New View
Physical objects controlled in space and time by natural laws Natural forces cause natural events (planetary movement, raising of tides, and apples falling) Secular focus 1. Nature is Guided by Natural Laws 2. These Laws are Discoverable through human reason 3. Man is a part of nature, therefore man is defined by and must follow natural laws as well

The Philosophe Approach

Assume that every human being is basically the same and share the same aptitudes, desires, and needs. Disregard religion, diet, values, and traditions of people when analyzing them Imagine what humans would be like in a state of nature , without their government, family, culture, etc.
Answer only to their own needs and bound to nothing What would people do in this state of nature? What would this state of nature be like?

The Philosophe Approach

No tradition religion, political, or economic was to be accepted without question
Do these institutions as they presently exist promote life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? If not: modify, reform, or abolish

Optimism for all

Government
The best society is the society that governs the least The state of nature should be preserved as much as possible Main goal of government is to maintain social stability, but otherwise leave people alone to their interests

So what about religion?

Religion s sole task was to promote respect for life and property Religion was de-emphasized during the Enlightenment, tolerance takes precedent Philosophes were indifferent to a person s religion
To worship God and to leave every other man free to worship Him in his own way- this is my religion. -Voltaire

The various religions are simply variations of the single expression of the Truth .
There are no sects in geometry. Voltaire

Heaven became an earthly goal--- Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
Expectation for the next world was replaced by the confidence that human fulfillment could achieved on earth Hell was social restrictions that prevented Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness
Man is not born wicked; he becomes so in the same way that he becomes sick. Voltaire

Philosophe membership
Five ideals at the heart of being a philosophe:
Reason: The absence of intolerance, bigotry, or prejudice in one s thinking. A nearly divine force. Nature: What is natural is good and reasonable. Strong belief in Natural laws of politics and economics in the same context laws of motion. Happiness: A person who lived by nature s laws would find happiness; to accept misery in this world and expect it in heaven was ignorance; focus on well-being on earth! Progress: Society can progress! Scientific approach can be used to perfect society and humankind. Liberty: The British people were envied due to their liberties gained through the Glorious Revolution and Bill of Rights. France was heavily restricted on speech, religion, trade, and personal travel.