ENLIGHTENMENT

Jonathan Dewald, Europe 1450 to 1789: Encyclopedia of the Early Modern WorldPeter Hamilton, ‘The Enlightenment and the Birth of Social Science’

Chris Harman, A People’s History of the World

Summary of the lecture notes, dbe

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Enlightenment (Age of Reason)

Enlightenment:a new framework of ideas about man, society and nature for challenging the existing conceptions rooted in the traditional world-view, especially dominated by Christianity and absolutism:

• anti-clerical (religion)• antithetical to despotism/absolutism

(politics)• scientific (religion)

Space & Time

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Continuity of respect and admire for the antiquity (neoclassical arthitecture & republican politics);

Criticism of the superstitution, ignorance and intolerance of Christianity (and Judaism),

Scientific Revolution (Natural Sciences)

Links to R&R and Break from R&R

Antiquity(Greco-Roman)

Religion(Judeo-Christian)

Science and Technology

Politics Criticism of ABSOLUTISM

Values of Enlightenment

REASONFREEDOMINDIVIDUALTOLERATIONSCEPTICISMSECULARISM

RATIONALITYEMPRICISMSCIENCEPROGRESSUNIVERSALISM

FREEDOMEQUALITY

Space & Time

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Criticism of Religion and the Enlightenment values

REASON: emphasis on one’s reason , not guided by any authority/reason as way of orginizing knowledgeFREEDOM: opposition to feudal/traditional constraints on beliefs, trade and communicationINDIVIDUAL: Ind. is the starting point for all knowledge and action and ind. reason cannot be subjected to any higher authority. TOLERATIONSCEPTICISM: systematic doubtSECULARISM: decreasing influence of religion in the lives of the individuals.

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Enlightenment values: Reason, Individual and Freedom

Kant’s (1724-1804) definition (in Was ist Aufklarung?/What is Enlightenment?, 1784)

“emancipation from self-incurred tutelage”

[Tutelage: man's inability to make use of his understanding without direction from another. Self-incurred is this tutelage when its cause lies not in lack of reason but in lack of resolution and courage to use it without direction from another. ]

“sapare aude” ( “dare to know”). Have courage to use your own REASON!Primacy of REASON AND INDIVIDUAL

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Science in the Enlightenment

EMPRICISMREASON/RATIONALITYSCIENCE: scientific knowledge based on experimental method as developed in scientific revolution of 17th century was the key to expand the all human knowldge. PROGRESS: natural and social conditions of human beings could be improved by the application of science and reason. UNIVERSALISM: Reason and science could be applied to any & every situation and their principles were the same in every situation.

2- Science in the EnlightenmentWhere does knowledge come from?

What is it for?