Age of Enlightenment

Definition

The Age of Enlightenment was an intellectual and cultural movement that emerged in the late 17th and 18th centuries, emphasizing reason, individualism, and skepticism of traditional authority. It inspired new ideas about governance, science, and human rights, shaping modern Western thought and society.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Key figures of the Enlightenment included philosophers such as John Locke, Voltaire, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who challenged existing norms and proposed new ideas about government and society.
2. The Enlightenment led to significant advancements in science, encouraging a shift from religious explanations of the world to empirical observations and rational thought.
3. Ideas from the Enlightenment played a crucial role in the American and French Revolutions, promoting concepts like liberty, equality, and fraternity.
4. The movement also emphasized education and literacy, leading to the establishment of public schools and increased access to knowledge among the general population.
5. Enlightenment thinkers often critiqued absolute monarchies and advocated for constitutionalism, which influenced the development of modern democratic systems.

Review Questions

• How did Enlightenment thinkers challenge traditional authority and influence political thought?
  • Enlightenment thinkers challenged traditional authority by advocating for reason over superstition and questioning the divine right of kings. They promoted ideas such as individual rights, freedom of speech, and separation of powers, which directly influenced political thought. This shift towards rationalism encouraged people to seek governance based on consent and reason rather than hereditary rule or religious doctrine.
• Analyze the impact of Enlightenment ideas on 18th-century culture and arts.
  • Enlightenment ideas significantly influenced 18th-century culture and arts by promoting themes of reason, nature, and humanity. Artists and writers began to incorporate these principles into their work, leading to movements like Neoclassicism that celebrated classical ideals of beauty and rationality. Literature flourished with novels that explored individualism and moral dilemmas, while visual arts often depicted scenes reflecting enlightenment values about society and governance.
• Evaluate the long-term effects of the Age of Enlightenment on contemporary political systems around the world.
  • The Age of Enlightenment has had lasting effects on contemporary political systems by laying the groundwork for democratic governance, human rights, and secularism. Many modern constitutions incorporate Enlightenment principles such as checks and balances, freedom of expression, and social contracts between citizens and governments. Additionally, its emphasis on reason continues to influence debates on morality, ethics, and individual liberties in societies worldwide.

Related terms

Rationalism:

A philosophical belief that reason is the primary source of knowledge and that it should guide human understanding and behavior.

Social Contract:

A theory in political philosophy suggesting that individuals consent, either explicitly or implicitly, to surrender some freedoms to a governing body in exchange for protection of their remaining rights.

Empiricism:

The theory that all knowledge is derived from sense-experience and that observation and experimentation are essential in the scientific method.