The Age of Reason & Enlightenment The Origins of Enlightenment? SCIENTIFIC: SCIENTIFIC: Newtons...

The Age of The Age of Reason & Reason &

EnlightenmEnlightenmentent

The Age of The Age of Reason & Reason &

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The Origins of Enlightenment?

► SCIENTIFICSCIENTIFIC::

Newton’s system was Newton’s system was synonymoussynonymouswith the empirical and the with the empirical and the practical.practical.

Scientific laws could be Scientific laws could be expressed as expressed as universal mathematical universal mathematical formulas.formulas.

Science allowed alternatives Science allowed alternatives to beto beimagined in everything from imagined in everything from politicspoliticsto religion.to religion.

William Blake’s Newton, 1795

The Royal Academy of Sciences, Paris

Zoology & Biology

A dissection at the Royal A dissection at the Royal Academy, London.Academy, London.

Chemistry Labs & Botany Gardens

Natural History Collections

► Cocoa plant Cocoa plant drawing.drawing.

► Sir Hans Sir Hans SloaneSloane(1660-1753).(1660-1753).

► Collected from Collected from Jamaica.Jamaica.

Natural History Collections

James Petiver’s BeetlesJames Petiver’s Beetles(London apothecary)(London apothecary)

Private Collections

The Origins of Modern The Origins of Modern Museums.Museums.

The Origins of Enlightenment?► RELIGIOUSRELIGIOUS::

physico-theologyphysico-theology –– an an attempt attempt (inspired by science) to (inspired by science) to explain God’s Providence explain God’s Providence by reference to his by reference to his work work in naturein nature & not primarily & not primarily through his biblical Word.through his biblical Word.

support of a “rational” support of a “rational” religion, freereligion, freefrom mysteries, miracles, from mysteries, miracles, andandsuperstitions.superstitions.

The Origins of Enlightenment?► RELIGIOUSRELIGIOUS::

DeismDeism

V The belief in the existence of The belief in the existence of a God or supreme being but a God or supreme being but aadenial of revealed religion, denial of revealed religion, basingbasingone’s belief on theone’s belief on the lightlight of of naturenatureand reasonand reason..

Deists saw no point in any Deists saw no point in any particularparticularreligion; they recognized only religion; they recognized only a a distantdistantGodGod, uninvolved in the daily , uninvolved in the daily life of man.life of man.

The Origins of Enlightenment?► RELIGIOUSRELIGIOUS::

Gradually, highly Gradually, highly educated Protestants & educated Protestants & Catholics thought more Catholics thought more about about God’s work as God’s work as revealed through sciencerevealed through science, , rather than through the rather than through the Scriptures.Scriptures.

PantheismPantheism

V The belief that God andThe belief that God andnature are one and the nature are one and the same.same.

Centers of the Enlightenment

The “Enlightened” Individual The Philosophe

► Not really original thinkers as a whole, but Not really original thinkers as a whole, but were great publicists of the new thinking were great publicists of the new thinking CHANGE & PROGRESS!CHANGE & PROGRESS!

► They were students of society who They were students of society who analyzed its evils and advanced reforms.analyzed its evils and advanced reforms.

The “Great Debate”

Reason& LogicReason& Logic

Traditionsand

Superstitions

Traditionsand

Superstitions

rationalirationalismsm

empiriciempiricismsm

toleranctolerancee

skepticisskepticismm

DeismDeism

nostalgia nostalgia for the for the pastpast

organized organized religionsreligions

irrationalisirrationalismm

emotionalisemotionalismm

John Locke (1632-1704)

► Letter on Letter on TolerationToleration, , 16891689

► Two Treatises Two Treatises ofofGovernmentGovernment, , 16901690

► Some ThoughtsSome ThoughtsConcerningConcerningEducationEducation, , 16931693

► The The ReasonablenessReasonablenessof Christianityof Christianity, , 16951695

John Locke’s Philosophy (I)

► The individual must become a The individual must become a “rational“rationalcreature.”creature.”

► Virtue can be learned and Virtue can be learned and practiced.practiced.

► Human beings possess free will.Human beings possess free will. they should be prepared for freedom.they should be prepared for freedom. obedience should be out of obedience should be out of

conviction,conviction,not out of fear.not out of fear.

► Legislators owe their power to Legislators owe their power to aa contractcontract with the peoplewith the people..

► Neither kings nor wealth are Neither kings nor wealth are divinely ordained.divinely ordained.

John Locke’s Philosophy (II)

► There are certain natural There are certain natural rights that are endowed by rights that are endowed by God to all human beings.God to all human beings.

life, liberty, property!life, liberty, property!

► The doctrine of the Divine The doctrine of the Divine Right of Kings was Right of Kings was nonsense.nonsense.

► He favored a republic as the He favored a republic as the best form of government.best form of government.

The American “Philosophes”

John AdamsJohn Adams(1745-(1745-1826)1826)

Ben FranklinBen Franklin(1706-1790)(1706-1790)

ThomasThomasJeffersonJefferson(1743-(1743-1826)1826)

……...…life, liberty, and the pursuit of ...…life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness…………...happiness…………...

Voltaire (1712-1778)

► AKA AKA Francois Francois Marie Arouet.Marie Arouet.

► Essay on the Essay on the CustomsCustomsand Spirit of and Spirit of NationsNations, , 17561756

► CandideCandide, 1759, 1759

► Philosophical Philosophical DictionaryDictionary, 1764, 1764

Voltaire’s “Wisdom” (I)

► Every man is guilty of all the Every man is guilty of all the good he good he didn’t do. didn’t do.► God is a comedian playing to an God is a comedian playing to an audience audience too afraid to laugh. too afraid to laugh.► If God did not exist, it would be If God did not exist, it would be necessary necessary to invent him. to invent him.► It is dangerous to be right It is dangerous to be right when the when the government is wrong. government is wrong.► Love truth and pardon error.Love truth and pardon error.

Voltaire’s “Wisdom” (II)

► Judge of a man by his questions Judge of a man by his questions rather thanrather than by his answers. by his answers.► Men are equal; it is not birth, but Men are equal; it is not birth, but virtuevirtue that makes the difference. that makes the difference.► Prejudice is opinion without Prejudice is opinion without judgment.judgment.► The way to become boring is to The way to become boring is to say say everything. everything.► I may not agree with what you I may not agree with what you have to say,have to say, but I will defend to the death but I will defend to the death your right to your right to say it. say it.

David Hume (1711-1776)

► The Natural The Natural History of History of Religion Religion [][][[(1755]).[[(1755]).

► Belief in God Belief in God rested on rested on superstition superstition and fear and fear rather than on rather than on reason.reason.

The Baron de Montesquieu (1689-1755)

► Persian Persian LettersLetters, , 1721 1721

► On the Spirit On the Spirit of of LawsLaws, 1758, 1758

Montesquieu’s Philosophy

► Three types of government:Three types of government: Monarchy.Monarchy. Republic.Republic. Despotism.Despotism.

A separation of political A separation of political powers ensured freedom powers ensured freedom and liberty.and liberty.

Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)

► A Discourse A Discourse on the on the Sciences and Sciences and ArtsArts, 1750, 1750

► Emile, 1762.Emile, 1762.

► The Social The Social Contract, Contract, 1762.1762.

Rousseau’s Philosophy (III)

► In In The Social ContractThe Social Contract:: The right kind of political order The right kind of political order

could make people truly moral could make people truly moral and free.and free.

Individual moral freedom could Individual moral freedom could be achieved only by learning to be achieved only by learning to subject one’s individual interests subject one’s individual interests to the “to the “General WillGeneral Will.”.”

Individuals did this by entering Individuals did this by entering into a social contract not with into a social contract not with their rulers, but with each other.their rulers, but with each other.V This social contract was derived This social contract was derived

from human nature, not from from human nature, not from history, tradition, or the Bible.history, tradition, or the Bible.

PopularizinPopularizingg

thetheEnlightenmEnlightenm

entent

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thetheEnlightenmEnlightenm

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A Parisian Salon

Madame Geoffrin’s Salon

The Salonnieres

Madame Madame GeoffrinGeoffrin

(1699-1777)(1699-1777)MademoiselleMademoiselle

Julie de Julie de LespinasseLespinasse

(1732*-1776)(1732*-1776)

MadameMadameSuzanne Suzanne NeckerNecker

(1739-1794)(1739-1794)

Other Female Salons

► Wealthy Jewish women created Wealthy Jewish women created nine of the fourteen salons in nine of the fourteen salons in Berlin.Berlin.

► In Warsaw, Princess Zofia In Warsaw, Princess Zofia Czartoryska gathered around Czartoryska gathered around her the reform leaders of her the reform leaders of Poland-Lithuania.Poland-Lithuania.

► Middle-class women in London Middle-class women in London used their salons to raise money used their salons to raise money to publish women’s writings.to publish women’s writings.

Diderot’s Encyclopédie

Pages from Diderot’s Encyclopedie

Pages from Diderot’s Encyclopedie

Pages from Diderot’s Encyclopedie

Subscriptions to Diderot’s Encyclopedie

““EnlighteEnlightenedned

DespotisDespotism”m”

Frederick the Great of Prussia (r. 1740-1786)

► 1712 -– 1786.1712 -– 1786.

► Succeeded his Succeeded his father,father, Frederick Frederick William IWilliam I (the “Soldier (the “Soldier King”).King”).

► He saw himselfHe saw himself as the as the “First“First Servant of the Servant of the State.”State.”

Catherine the Great (r. 1762-1796)

► German German PrincessPrincess Sophie Sophie FriederikeFriederike Auguste of Auguste of Anhalt- Anhalt-Zerbst.Zerbst.

► 1729 -– 1729 -– 1796.1796.

Reformer? OR Despot?

The Partitions of Poland

- - 17721772

- - 17931793

- - 17951795

Russian Expansionism in the Late 18c

Joseph II of Austria (r. 1765-1790)

► 1741 -– 1741 -– 1790.1790.

► His mother His mother waswas Maria Maria Theresa.Theresa.

Habsburg Family Crest

Joseph II of Austria