The Enlightenment: Difference between revisions

From Citizendium
Jump to navigation Jump to search
imported>David L Green
(typo, rem whitespace)
imported>Derek Hodges
(linked to full names)
Line 5: Line 5:
The Enlightenment advocated reason as the primary basis of authority, downplaying emotion and ecclesiastical authority. As presented by [[Voltaire]], [[Isaac Newton]] was the great hero for his demonstration that rational thought could explain the heavens. Developed in [[France, history|France]], England, [[Scotland, history|Scotland]], and the German states, it influenced the whole of Europe including [[Russia, history|Russia]] and Scandinavia, as well as the American colonies in the era of the [[American Revolution]].
The Enlightenment advocated reason as the primary basis of authority, downplaying emotion and ecclesiastical authority. As presented by [[Voltaire]], [[Isaac Newton]] was the great hero for his demonstration that rational thought could explain the heavens. Developed in [[France, history|France]], England, [[Scotland, history|Scotland]], and the German states, it influenced the whole of Europe including [[Russia, history|Russia]] and Scandinavia, as well as the American colonies in the era of the [[American Revolution]].


Intellectually the Enlightment was identified with "the [[Philosophes|philosophes]]," who aggressively spread the new gospel of reason. They were a brilliant collection of scientists, philosophers and writers including [[Voltaire]], [[Montesquieu]], [[Holbach]], [[Condorcet]], [[Denis Diderot]], [[Buffon]], [[Turgot]] and [[Jean-Jacques Rousseau]] in France; [[David Hume]] and [[Adam Smith]] in Scotland; [[John Locke]], [[Edward Gibbon]], [[Samuel Johnson]] and [[Jeremy Bentham]] in England; and [[Johann Herder]], [[Gotthold Lessing]] and [[ Immanuel Kant]] in Prussia, as well as  [[Jonathan Edwards]], [[ Benjamin Franklin]], [[Thomas Jefferson]], [[James Madison]] and [[Alexander Hamilton]] in America.  They were endorsed by "enlightened despots"—rulers who tried to impose reform by authoritarian means, including [[Joseph II]] of the Holy Roman Empire (Austria), [[Frederick II]] of Prussia, [[Catherine II]] of Russia, and [[Charles III]] of Spain.  
Intellectually the Enlightenment was identified with "the [[Philosophes|philosophes]]," who aggressively spread the new gospel of reason. They were a brilliant collection of scientists, philosophers and writers including [[Voltaire]], [[Montesquieu]], [[Paul-Henri Thiry, baron d'Holbach|Holbach]], [[Marie Jean Antoine Nicolas de Caritat, Marquis de Condorcet|Condorcet]], [[Denis Diderot]], [[Georges Buffon|Buffon]], [[Anne-Robert-Jacques, baron de l’Aulne Turgot|Turgot]] and [[Jean-Jacques Rousseau]] in France; [[David Hume]] and [[Adam Smith]] in Scotland; [[John Locke]], [[Edward Gibbon]], [[Samuel Johnson]] and [[Jeremy Bentham]] in England; and [[Johann Herder]], [[Gotthold Lessing]] and [[ Immanuel Kant]] in Prussia, as well as  [[Jonathan Edwards]], [[ Benjamin Franklin]], [[Thomas Jefferson]], [[James Madison]] and [[Alexander Hamilton]] in America.  They were endorsed by "enlightened despots"—rulers who tried to impose reform by authoritarian means, including [[Joseph II]] of the Holy Roman Empire (Austria), [[Frederick II]] of Prussia, [[Catherine II]] of Russia, and [[Charles III]] of Spain.  


Politically the Enlightenment was marked by governmental consolidation, nation creation, greater rights for the common people, and a diminution of the influence of authoritarian institutions such as the nobility and the Church. The ideology of [[Republicanism]] led to the [[American Revolution]] and the [[French Revolution]]. By 1800 or so the Enlightenment was replaced by the [[Romantic Era]], with special impact on the arts.
Politically the Enlightenment was marked by governmental consolidation, nation creation, greater rights for the common people, and a diminution of the influence of authoritarian institutions such as the nobility and the Church. The ideology of [[Republicanism]] led to the [[American Revolution]] and the [[French Revolution]]. By 1800 or so the Enlightenment was replaced by the [[Romantic Era]], with special impact on the arts.

Revision as of 17:29, 9 February 2009

This article is a stub and thus not approved.
Main Article
Discussion
Related Articles  [?]
Bibliography  [?]
External Links  [?]
Citable Version  [?]
 
This editable Main Article is under development and subject to a disclaimer.

The Enlightenment was an 18th-century movement in Western philosophy and intellectual life generally, that emphasized the power or reason and science to understand and reform the world. Some classifications also include 17th-century philosophy, usually called the Age of Reason. The style it favored is called "classical" (as opposed to the earlier Baroque and the later Romantic styles). The Enlightenment saw major advances in philosophy, the sciences (especially physics, chemistry and mathematics), economics, political theory, geography (especially exploration), and technology (especially the origins of the Industrial Revolution.

The Enlightenment advocated reason as the primary basis of authority, downplaying emotion and ecclesiastical authority. As presented by Voltaire, Isaac Newton was the great hero for his demonstration that rational thought could explain the heavens. Developed in France, England, Scotland, and the German states, it influenced the whole of Europe including Russia and Scandinavia, as well as the American colonies in the era of the American Revolution.

Intellectually the Enlightenment was identified with "the philosophes," who aggressively spread the new gospel of reason. They were a brilliant collection of scientists, philosophers and writers including Voltaire, Montesquieu, Holbach, Condorcet, Denis Diderot, Buffon, Turgot and Jean-Jacques Rousseau in France; David Hume and Adam Smith in Scotland; John Locke, Edward Gibbon, Samuel Johnson and Jeremy Bentham in England; and Johann Herder, Gotthold Lessing and Immanuel Kant in Prussia, as well as Jonathan Edwards, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and Alexander Hamilton in America. They were endorsed by "enlightened despots"—rulers who tried to impose reform by authoritarian means, including Joseph II of the Holy Roman Empire (Austria), Frederick II of Prussia, Catherine II of Russia, and Charles III of Spain.

Politically the Enlightenment was marked by governmental consolidation, nation creation, greater rights for the common people, and a diminution of the influence of authoritarian institutions such as the nobility and the Church. The ideology of Republicanism led to the American Revolution and the French Revolution. By 1800 or so the Enlightenment was replaced by the Romantic Era, with special impact on the arts.

Further reading

for a more detailed guide see the Bibliography subpage

  • Chisick, Harvey. Historical Dictionary of the Enlightenment. 2005. 512 pp
  • Delon, Michel. Encyclopedia of the Enlightenment (2001) 1480pp
  • Fitzpatrick, Martin et al., eds. The Enlightenment World. (2004). 714pp; 39 essays by scholars online edition
  • Gay, Peter. The Enlightenment: The Rise of Modern Paganism (1966, 2nd ed. 1995), 952 pp; excerpt and text search vol 1; The Enlightenment: The Science of Freedom, (1969 2nd ed. 1995), a highly influential study excerpt and text search vol 2;
  • Hazard, Paul. European thought in the eighteenth century: From Montesquieu to Lessing (1965)
  • Himmelfarb, Gertrude. The Roads to Modernity: The British, French, and American Enlightenments. 2004. 272 pp.
  • Imhof, Ulrich. The Enlightenment. 1994. 310 pp.
  • Kors, Alan Charles. Encyclopedia of the Enlightenment (4 vol. 1990; 2nd ed. 2003), 1984pp excerpt and text search; also complete text online at www.oxfordreference.com
  • Outram, Dorinda. The Enlightenment(1995) 157pp excerpt and text search
  • Porter, Roy. The Enlightenment (2nd ed. 2001) excerpt and text search
  • Reill, Peter Hanns, and Wilson, Ellen Judy. Encyclopedia of the Enlightenment. (2nd ed. 2004). 670 pp.
  • Yolton, John W. et al. The Blackwell Companion to the Enlightenment. 1992. 581 pp.

Primary sources