Meta Description: Enlightenment was a philosophical movement that dominated Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries. Read all about Enlightenment and its key points here.
Enlightenment was an intellectual movement that occurred with a strong emphasis on revolutions. It started when numerous enslaved people were transported from Africa to the Western Hemisphere. According to Enlightenment, Reason is the requisite source of legitimacy and authority.
The philosophical movement also advocated important ideals, including progress, liberty, fraternity, tolerance, and constitutional laws. It shaped religion by enforcing church and state separation, which means the government will have no right over religion.
The Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment, also called the Age of Reason, was the period of rigorous political, scientific, and philosophical discourse that characterised European society and revolutionised the political and religious structure.
The period of the Age of Enlightenment started in 1685 and ended in 1815. In this period, free thinkers in Europe believed that Thought and Reason were two crucial aspects that were decisive in making modernity.
Key Points of Enlightenment
- The intellectual movement emphasised science and reason. Enlightenment thinkers determined that belief and Catholic doctrine could not regulate society anymore. They wanted to conduct experiments and observations to help the economy flourish and establish civil order based on natural law.
- The world witnessed the rapid expansion in print culture during the 1700s and increased level of literacy. So, the discoveries were majorly consumed by the reading public. Hence, it resulted in the scientific revolution.
- Two fundamental principles of Enlightenment include:
- The first one is centred on individual liberty, eradicating religious authority, advocating democracy, radical Enlightenment, and freedom of expression.
- The second focuses on the pursuit of knowledge and the value of human happiness, acquired by the evidence of senses and means of reason.
- During the 18th century, two imperative subjects to the tides of reason were Religion and Personal Faith. Arguments on personal judgments on beliefs were perceived, which led to scepticism.
- Science played a pivotal role in Enlightenment. The major figures who participated in writing the Enlightenment did not fit into a specific set of dogmas and doctrines.
- During the late 18th century, a majority of the European countries were inspired by radical enlightened ideas which advocated absolutism and monarchy.
- The Enlightenment thinkers minimised the power of politics to regulate any religion and curbed intolerant religious wars. That's how they succeeded in separating the concept of church and state.
Conclusion: The Results of Enlightenment
The occurrence of the French Revolution and American Revolution during the Enlightenment was the direct result of Enlightenment thinking. It also led to the establishment of various schools, universities, and libraries across Europe.
The Enlightenment phase encouraged widespread education for every child. So, the idea that society acts as a social contract between the governed and government was true. The great idea favoured individualism, exploration, scientific endeavour, and tolerance and led to the emergence of the modern world by witnessing rapid developments in industries and politics.
FAQs
1. Where did the Enlightenment take place?
The Enlightenment period started during the late 17th and 18th centuries in Europe. Historians place the Enlightenment between the Glorious Revolution (17th century- 1688) and the French Revolution (18th century- 1789).
The Enlightenment represented a phase inspired by a belief in the possibility of a better world by highlighting the targets for programs of action and criticism.
2. What were the three ideas of the Enlightenment?
This philosophical movement in Europe primarily focused on three concepts or ideas:
- The Use of Reason
- Progress
- The Scientific Method.
By introducing the world with valuable ideas, the Enlightenment thinkers believed that the world could be a better place than before.
3. What led to the Enlightenment?
The primary source that developed the roots of the Enlightenment is the humanism of the Renaissance. Another important source that led to the Age of Enlightenment was the complementary empirical and rational methods of perceiving truth introduced by the scientific revolution.
4. Who were some of the most important figures of the Enlightenment?
Listed below are all the writers that played a vital role in writing the Enlightenment:
- Philosophers of France, especially Voltaire and Montesquieu.
- Compilers of the Encyclopedia, including Condorcet, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Denis Diderot.
- Other philosophers from Scotland, such as Adam Smith and David Hume.
- English philosopher Jeremy Bentham
- Immanuel Kant of Germany
- Thomas Jefferson
5. How did the Age of Enlightenment affect Europe?
Enlightenment embraced the notion that there is massive scope for improvement in humanity through rational change. Moreover, several Enlightenment thinkers throughout Europe questioned traditional authorities about how they could help their countries prosper.
In addition, many informative books, essays, inventions, revolutions, scientific discoveries, and laws were also introduced during the Age of Enlightenment.
