PHILOSOPHY IN THE AGE OF REASON
Note handout
Progress and Reason
Scientific Revolution used science to find laws that governed the physical world.
natural laws: laws that governs human nature.
Through the use of reason, Enlightenment thinkers believed they could solve political, economic, and cultural problems.
Enlightenment Thinkers
Thomas Hobbes: People are cruel and greedy; need strong
government; enter into a social contract Social contract: an agreement by which
people give up the state of nature for an organized society.
John Locke: People are good and have natural rights,
which the government protects. natural rights: rights that belong to all
humans from birth.
Enlightenment Thinkers
Montesquieu: separation of powers is the best way to protect liberty.
Enlightenment Thinkers
philosophe: French Enlightenment thinkers who tried to apply scientific methods to improve society.
Voltaire: Critic of corruption and injustice; defender of
free speech. Diderot:
Spread philosophes’ ideas; encouraged education for all.
Rousseau: Common good over the good of the individual.
Enlightenment Thinkers
Wollstonecraft: Equal education for boys and girls
Smith: Laws of supply and demand should control the
economy Physiocrats: Enlightenment thinkers who
searched for laws to govern economics. Laissez-faire: allows business to operate
with little or no government influence.
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