The Enlightenment (i)

pg. 514-520

I) The Enlightenment A) Intro 1) Enlightenment- leaving immaturity 2) Independent intelligence 3) Intellectuals who dared to know begin movement (a) Impressed by Scientific Revolution (b) Reason (c) Scientific Method 4) Somewhat Anti-Religious: Reason, natural law, hope progress 5) Was it really as unreligious as rigorously reported by the author? B) The Paths to Enlightenment 1) Intro (a) 17th century influences 18th century 2) Popularization of Sciences (a) Not always original Source (b) Mostly from popularizers, not manuscripts (c) Important popularizer: Bernard de Fontenelle Secretary of Royal Academy of Science 3) Bernard de Fontenelle (a) No experiments but great knowledge (b) Witty and comprehendible form for Upper-Class regulars (c) Plurality of Words: Lover in park learns fundamental cosmology 4) More on Bernard (a) No more information monopoly: freer information (b) Skeptical and downplays religion 5) A new skepticism (a) More educated people question religion (b) Growing secularization (c) Pierre Bayle Leading critic of traditional religion o Superstition, religious intolerance, dogmatism Individual conscience is religion + liked religious toleration 6) Bayles a damn heretic I tell ya (a) Thought new rational principles should apply to bible (b) Historical and Critical Dictionary- King David made sensual, cruel, evil Attacked religious heroes Bible of 18th century (c) Why was bayle so compelled to take unnecessary religious jabs at the Church? 7) The impact of travel literature

(a) Cultures from about the world learned by travel book (b) Skepticism garnished by travel reports (c) James Cooks Pacific Island and Tahiti greatest finds (d) Very enthusiastic reception 8) Romantic ideal of noble savage- romantic (happier) 9) Realizations of other cultures questioning of own culture and intolerant ideas (a) Once seemingly grounded in reason, practices now seemed as mere custom (b) Cultural relativism 10) Christian ideal was one of many (a) Cultural relativism religious skepticism 11) Racial Classification (a) Polygenesis- separate human species (b) Monogenesis- one species, many different features (c) Africans deemed lowest rank- new species of mankind 12) The Legacy of Locke and Newton (a) Newton thought to be legendary (b) Followed newtons rules of reasoning could natural laws 13) Reorientation of knowledge (a) Knowledge from environment, not hereditary; from reason not faith (b) People molded, oh wait we can change the environment around us (c) People can discover natural laws to which we must conform (d) Hope for a brave new world C) The Philosophies and Their Ideas 1) Intro (a) Philosophes= people Many are French Social Reformers Effect people all over the place (b) Nobility and Middle class (c) Increased reach of French culture (d) Paris is philosophical capital 2) The meaning and aim of philosophy (a) Different political associations, common goal; international movement (b) Goal is to change the world and make all happier (c) Rational criticism is applied not only to science but all including religion and politics 3) They were not free to write freely (a) State censors and protests seizure

4) Avoiding censorship (a) Popular in Holland (b) Published under pseudonyms or in codes (c) Burned books became more popular 5) Domination of the Philosophy market (a) Many disagreed and then dominated by: Montesquieu, Voltaire, Diderot 6) Montesquieu and Political thought (a) Man of French nobility (b) Persian Letters Two Persians walk home from Western Europe: criticize Criticizes typical religion, slavery and advocates toleration 7) Most famous work (a) The Spirit of the Laws- 1748 Comparative study of governments 3 kinds of government o Republics: Small empires o Monarchy: Middle empires o Despotism: Large empires Checks and balances (Separation of powers) Wanted same separation of power in France as in England American philosophers adopt 8) Voltaire and the Enlightenment (a) At first a playwright from middle class Paris (b) Forced to leave France after fight with nobleman 9) Pro England French people (a) Philosophic letters on the English Admiration for the English life Criticizes Frances ills Criticism of monarchy; dissatisfaction of the middle class French 10) Guy runs off from attack (a) That book made him run away to be with his nonconformist mistress and collab 11) Gets to Ferney and writes to his hearts content (a) Wealthy and could write whatever he wanted 12) Religion gets in the way (a) Criticism of regular religion; strong attachment to ideal of religious toleration (b) Calas affair Protestant Calas accused of murdering son for wanting Catholic Actually committed suicide

 Substantiated his calls for tolerance (c) Treatise on Toleration: no problem in England or Holland 13) Deism (a) World machine created by God but not intervened (b) No prayers or grace (c) Jesus was good but not divine 14) Diderot and the Encyclopedia- Changed way of thinking; weapon for philosophers; social and political reform to more cosmopolitan world; price of book made sales go up (a) Really trashes religion; says it was the worst; believes in material world

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