An introduction to the Enlightenment with some clips from YouTube. One is on Galileo; one is from Carl Sagan's Cosmos to illustrate the knowledge of the ancient world that was being rediscovered; one is from a history of the French Revolution (slide 4) and is accessed by clicking on the picture there. Sapere aude means 'dare to think' (I think!)
2. The Darkness Superstition, ignorance, religion leading to... Acceptance of inequality, despotism These things underpinned the Ancien Regime Resulted in mass poverty, servitude of the many to the few The Church seen as blocking the light of reason until the Renaissance (C.16th) Example: Galileo Galilei People had not always been so superstitious Ancient scholars knew much that had to be rediscovered The Library of Alexandria “Écrasezl’infâme!” – Voltaire “Crush infamy!” Meaning the ecclesiastical misuse of power
3. Light Breaks Through Renaissance: 14th – 17th centuries Start of educational reform, traditionally Church’s role Re-birth of the ancient era’s literature and culture Especially mathematics, science, philosophy Influenced art, literature and culture of Europe Changed approach to traditional thinking, ideas Reformation: 16th – 17th centuries Attacked some Roman Catholic beliefs, teachings Buying indulgences; role of priests; superstitions Scientific Method: pioneered in C17th Inductive (logical, reasoned) empirical approach Newton’s (1643-1727) discoveries showed secrets of natural world could be discovered – God’s secrets not mystical, magical Reason and logic could uncover them
4. The Enlightenment As you watch the excerpt, make notes on why the Enlightenment was so dangerous and threatening to the traditional order of things.
5. The Philosophes – 1 Voltaire, Diderot, Rousseau, Turgot, Montesquieu Écrasezl’infâme! - Voltaire on Catholic Church Rousseau – Discourse on Inequality: It is against nature that a handful of people should gorge themselves on superfluities while the hungry multitude goes in want of necessities Rousseau – The Social Contract You are lost if you forget that the fruits of the earth belong to no-one and that the earth itself belongs to everyone Each is born with a natural desire to play a useful part in the community, but the systems of rule we’ve built prevent this from happening Everyone should participate, and flourish, in the state whilst submitting to the will of that state
6. The Philosophes – 2 Turgot: Nature has given to all the right of being happy Montesquieu: no one person should wield the three sorts of power Legislative The power of making laws Executive The power of putting laws into effect The power of actually ruling Judicial The power of judging crimes Hence the separation of powers in the new United States’ Constitution following the War of Independence
7. 1700s: Le Siècle des Lumières Spread amongst educated, upper classes Salons Challenge to Absolutism American War of Independence Encyclopédie – Diderot Censorship (lifted 1788) Pocket books –Voltaire Hidden pages Popular fiction Pornographic philosophy Robespierre – bringing Enlightenment into legal cases Ideas developed and spread as France’s crises worsened
