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THE AGE OF REASON
WHEN REASON RULED THE WORLD: 1740-1800
CHARACTERISTICS OF COLONIAL AMERICANS
TINKERERS SELF-RELIANT INDEPENDENT PRACTICAL GENERALISTS
ENVIRONMENT REQUIRED THESE TRAITS
BELIEFS/IDEAS
FAITH IN RATIONALISM: ABILITY TO ARRIVE AT TRUTH
THROUGH REASON SCIENCE/SCIENTIFIC METHOD
ISAAC NEWTON, GALILEO, ETC
BELIEFS/IDEAS
WORLD IS AN ORDERLY PLACE ORGANIZED AROUND NATURAL LAWS UNIVERSE IS CREATED BY GOD AND
IS BY ITS NATURE GOOD
BELIEFS/IDEAS
REASON: GOD’S SPECIAL GIFT TO MAN SO THAT HE CAN USE IT: FIND TRUTH SOLVE PROBLEMS DISCOVER GOD HIMSELF
BELIEFS/IDEAS
HUMANS ARE GOOD INNATE ETHICAL SENSE PERFECTIBLE THROUGH
APPLICATION OF REASON EVIL RESULTS WHEN
EMOTIONS/PASSIONS OVERTAKE REASON
DEISM: A PHILOSOPHY, NOT A RELIGION
CLOCKMAKER GOD CREATED WORLD AS A PERFECT
MECHANISM RULED BY NATURAL LAWS
HE DOES NOT EVER ACT IN HISTORY: NO SUCH THING AS PROVIDENCE
LETS THE MACHINE WORK, LIKE A WOUND UP WATCH
DEISM: A PHILOSOPHY, NOT A RELIGION
ONE DISCOVERS GOD BY APPLYING REASON TO THE WORLD AROUND YOU OBSERVATION=ORDER=NATURAL
LAWS=DESIGN=DESIGNER=GOD GOD IS CAN BE DISCOVERED BY ALL
AT ANY TIME THROUGH REASON
DEISM: A PHILOSOPHY, NOT A RELIGION
GOD WANTS GOODNESS AND HAPPINESS FOR HIS PEOPLE SO, BEST WAY TO WORSHIP IS NOT
TO PRAY IN CHURCH DO GOOD WORKS: HUMANITARIAN SOCIAL IMPROVEMENTS RESULTED HEAVEN/HELL DETERMINED BY YOUR
ACTIONS ON EARTH
WHERE IT CAME FROM
REACTIONS AGAINST PURITAN IRRATIONALITY, SUPERSTITION, IGNORANCE, AND PESSIMISM AND THE EVILS THAT CAME FROM THAT WITCH TRIALS PREDESTINATION GOD’S WRATHFULNESS HUMAN NATURE IS EVIL
WHERE IT CAME FROM
NEO-CLASSICISM NEO=NEW CLASSICISM=ANCIENT GREECE RATIONAL THOUGHT OF ANTIQUITY
COME BACK TO LIFE WASHINGTON D.C ARCHITECTURE
WEAKNESSES
LACK OF FEELING CREATIVE WORKS BASED ON
IMAGINATION ARE FEW PERHAPS OVERLY CONCERNED
WITH PRACTICAL ISSUES
LITERATURE
PAMPHLETS WERE HUGE AND PROFITABLE
ESSAYS: USUALLY POLITICAL A FEW NOVELISTS: COOPER,
IRVING LAST OF THE MOHICANS RIP VAN WINKLE
LASTING IMPACT
TO BE “RATIONAL” IS STILL SEEN AS A COMPLIMENT
“COMMON SENSE” IS STILL AN AMERICAN VALUE: TERM COINED BY THOMAS PAINE
STILL SOMEWHAT SUSPICIOUS OF OVERT EMOTION
SCHOOLS: CRITICAL THINKING AS OPPOSED TO CREATIVE THOUGHT