Posted: February 19th, 2023

The Enlightenment, it’s philosophies

In no less than 500 words, write an MLA style essay describing the Enlightenment, it’s philosophies, and its impact, both short and long-term. Be sure to include 2 philosophes as examples of your response along with their major contributions. Note 8 philosophes are profiled in the two videos below:

In addition to the text, here are some helpful videos:

Age of Enlightenment: The Age of Reason Explained

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ef0erm_KQILinks to an external site.

Voltaire

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAzKGkTIKpgLinks to an external site.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81KfDXTTtXE&t=396sLinks to an external site.

Denis Diderot – Heroes of the Enlightenment: The Power of Knowledge

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZB9H_V2iKNQLinks to an external site.

Marquis de Pumba

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVLGo_SgRfsLinks to an external site.

Enlightened Despots (absolute rulers): Frederick the Great (1740-1786), Joseph II (1765-1790), and Catherine the Great (1762-1796)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZ_i6wTa7ywLinks to an external site.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXybBoblRuELinks to an external site.

Montesquieu

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gExrynQC4IULinks to an external site.

Thomas Hobbes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9i4jb5XBX5s&t=27sLinks to an external site.

John Locke

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZiWZJgJT7ILinks to an external site.

Thomas Jefferson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXGruQ_C5joLinks to an external site.
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The Enlightenment was an intellectual and philosophical movement that emerged in the 17th and 18th centuries in Europe. It was a period of great social, political, and cultural change, during which many people began to question traditional authority and embrace new ideas based on reason, science, and individualism. The Enlightenment was characterized by a commitment to rational inquiry and the belief that human beings could improve themselves and their societies through education, progress, and tolerance. In this essay, we will explore the philosophies of two Enlightenment thinkers, Voltaire and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and their impact on society both in the short and long-term.

Voltaire was a French philosopher and writer who is often regarded as one of the leading figures of the Enlightenment. He was a passionate advocate of freedom of thought and expression, and he used his writings to criticize the injustices and abuses of the powerful. His major contribution to Enlightenment thought was his belief in the power of reason and his rejection of dogma and superstition. He argued that reason should be the guiding principle of human affairs and that people should be free to pursue their own interests without interference from the state or the church.
and the essay, and it inspired new artistic movements such as neoclassicism and romanticism.

In the long-term, the Enlightenment had an enduring impact on Western civilization. It transformed the way people thought about the world and their place in it, and it paved the way for the scientific and technological advances of the modern era. The Enlightenment also had a significant impact on education and the development of universities. Many of the leading universities in the Western world were founded during the Enlightenment, and they became centers of intellectual inquiry and innovation.

The Enlightenment also had a profound impact on the way people thought about religion. Many Enlightenment thinkers were critical of organized religion and its role in society. They argued that religion should be a matter of personal belief and that the state should not interfere in matters of conscience. This led to the emergence of religious tolerance and the separation of church and state, which are now regarded as fundamental principles of modern democracies.

The Enlightenment was a period of great intellectual and philosophical change that had a profound impact on Western civilization. It was characterized by a commitment to rational inquiry and the belief that human beings could improve themselves and their societies through education, progress, and tolerance. The philosophies of Enlightenment thinkers such as Voltaire and Rousseau inspired new political orders, artistic movements, and educational institutions, and they continue to shape the way we think about the world today. The legacy of the Enlightenment is a testament to the enduring power of reason, freedom, and human progress.
Sources
Pinker, Steven. Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress. Penguin Books, 2018.

Kors, Alan Charles. Enlightenment: The Death of God, the Fall of Man, and the Rise of Science. Oxford University Press, 2018.

Blanning, Tim. The Pursuit of Glory: Europe 1648-1815. Penguin Books, 2019.

Israel, Jonathan. Democratic Enlightenment: Philosophy, Revolution, and Human Rights 1750-1790. Oxford University Press, 2018.

Gay, Peter. The Enlightenment: The Rise of Modern Paganism. W. W. Norton & Company, 2019.

Schneewind, J. B. The Invention of Autonomy: A History of Modern Moral Philosophy. Cambridge University Press, 2019.

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