The Age of The Age of Reason & Reason &

EnlightenmEnlightenmentent

The Age of The Age of Reason & Reason &

EnlightenmEnlightenmentent

An Overview of the 18c

► Political History Political History >>> >>> Reform

► Intellectual History Intellectual History Newtonian Physics Reason

► Cultural History Cultural History Individualism

► Social History Social History Increased Literacy

“Age of Aristocracy”

► Economic History Economic History > > Mercantilism to Capitalism

18c Politics► BRITAIN – – Constitutional MonarchyConstitutional Monarchy

► FRANCE Royal AbsolutismRoyal Absolutism (cultural and religious (cultural and religious unity)unity)

► PRUSSIA, HABSBURG EMPIRE, RUSSIA “Enlightened Despotism”“Enlightened Despotism”

► OTTOMAN EMPIRE – – traditional traditional empireempire

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 universal expressed as universal mathematical formulas.mathematical 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.

Women & Science

The German The German astronomer astronomer Hevelius & Hevelius &

his wife his wife examine examine

the the heavens.heavens.

The Origins of Enlightenment?► RELIGIOUSRELIGIOUS::

physico-theologyphysico-theology an attempt an attempt (inspired by science) to explain (inspired by science) to explain God’s Providence by reference God’s Providence by reference to his to his work in naturework in nature & not & not primarily through his biblical primarily through his biblical Word.Word. support of a “rational” religion, support of a “rational” religion, free from mysteries, miracles, free from mysteries, miracles, andandsuperstitions.superstitions.

The Origins of Enlightenment?► RELIGIOUSRELIGIOUS::

DeismDeism

V The belief in the existence of a The belief in the existence of a God or supreme being but aGod or supreme being but adenial of revealed religion, basingdenial of revealed religion, basingone’s belief on theone’s belief on the lightlight of natureof natureand reasonand reason..

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

The Origins of Enlightenment?► RELIGIOUSRELIGIOUS::

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

PantheismPantheism

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

Centers of the Enlightenment

The Characteristics of the Enlightenment

1.1. Rationalism Rationalism reason is the arbiter reason is the arbiter of allof all things. things.

2.2. Cosmology Cosmology a new concept of a new concept of man, hisman, his existence on earth, & existence on earth, & thethe place of the earth in place of the earth in thethe universe. universe.

3.3. Secularism Secularism application of the application of the methods of science to religion & methods of science to religion & philosophy.philosophy.

The Characteristics of the Enlightenment

4.4. Scientific MethodScientific Method

Mathematical analysisMathematical analysis

ExperimentationExperimentation

Inductive reasoning.Inductive reasoning.

5.5. Utilitarianism Utilitarianism the greatest good the greatest good for for the greatest number. the greatest number.

6.6. Tolerance Tolerance No opinion is worth No opinion is worth burning your neighbor for.burning your neighbor for.

The Characteristics of the Enlightenment

7.7. Optimism & Self-ConfidenceOptimism & Self-Confidence

The belief that man is intrinsically The belief that man is intrinsically good.good.

The belief in social progress.The belief in social progress.

8.8. FreedomFreedom

Of thought and expression.Of thought and expression.

Bring liberty to all men (modern Bring liberty to all men (modern battle against absolutism).battle against absolutism).

9.9. Education of the MassesEducation of the Masses

The Characteristics of the Enlightenment

10.10.Legal ReformsLegal Reforms

Justice, kindness, and charity Justice, kindness, and charity no no torture or indiscriminant torture or indiscriminant incarceration.incarceration.

Due process of law. Due process of law.

11.11.ConstitutionalismConstitutionalism

Written constitutions Written constitutions listing listing citizens, rights.citizens, rights.

12.12.Cosmopolitanism.Cosmopolitanism.

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

The “Great Debate”

Reason& LogicReason& Logic

Traditionsand

Superstitions

Traditionsand

Superstitions

rationalismrationalism empiricismempiricism tolerancetolerance skepticismskepticism DeismDeism

nostalgia for nostalgia for the the pastpast

organized organized religionsreligions

irrationalismirrationalism emotionalismemotionalism

PopularizinPopularizingg

thetheEnlightenmEnlightenm

entent

PopularizinPopularizingg

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.

The “Republic of Letters”►URBAN – – gathering of elites gathering of elites

in the cities.in the cities. (salons)(salons)

►URBANE – – cosmopolitancosmopolitan,, worldlyworldly

music, art, literature, politicsmusic, art, literature, politics

read newspapers & the latest books.read newspapers & the latest books.

► POLITENESS – – proper proper behaviorbehavior [ [self-governedself-governed]]

Reading During the Enlightenment►Literacy:

80 % for men; 60 % women.80 % for men; 60 % women.

►Books were expensive (one Books were expensive (one day’s wages).day’s wages).

►Many readers for each book Many readers for each book (20 : 1)(20 : 1)

novels, plays & other literature.novels, plays & other literature.

journals, memoirs, “private lives.”journals, memoirs, “private lives.”

philosophy, history, theology.philosophy, history, theology.

newspapers, political pamphlets.newspapers, political pamphlets.

An Increase in Reading

An Increase in Reading

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