the age of reason when reason ruled the world: 1740-1800

THE AGE OF REASON

WHEN REASON RULED THE WORLD: 1740-1800

CHARACTERISTICS OF COLONIAL AMERICANS

TINKERERS SELF-RELIANT INDEPENDENT PRACTICAL GENERALISTS

ENVIRONMENT REQUIRED THESE TRAITS

BELIEFS/IDEAS

FAITH IN RATIONALISM: ABILITY TO ARRIVE AT TRUTH

THROUGH REASON SCIENCE/SCIENTIFIC METHOD

ISAAC NEWTON, GALILEO, ETC

BELIEFS/IDEAS

WORLD IS AN ORDERLY PLACE ORGANIZED AROUND NATURAL LAWS UNIVERSE IS CREATED BY GOD AND

IS BY ITS NATURE GOOD

BELIEFS/IDEAS

REASON: GOD’S SPECIAL GIFT TO MAN SO THAT HE CAN USE IT: FIND TRUTH SOLVE PROBLEMS DISCOVER GOD HIMSELF

BELIEFS/IDEAS

HUMANS ARE GOOD INNATE ETHICAL SENSE PERFECTIBLE THROUGH

APPLICATION OF REASON EVIL RESULTS WHEN

EMOTIONS/PASSIONS OVERTAKE REASON

DEISM: A PHILOSOPHY, NOT A RELIGION

CLOCKMAKER GOD CREATED WORLD AS A PERFECT

MECHANISM RULED BY NATURAL LAWS

HE DOES NOT EVER ACT IN HISTORY: NO SUCH THING AS PROVIDENCE

LETS THE MACHINE WORK, LIKE A WOUND UP WATCH

DEISM: A PHILOSOPHY, NOT A RELIGION

ONE DISCOVERS GOD BY APPLYING REASON TO THE WORLD AROUND YOU OBSERVATION=ORDER=NATURAL

LAWS=DESIGN=DESIGNER=GOD GOD IS CAN BE DISCOVERED BY ALL

AT ANY TIME THROUGH REASON

DEISM: A PHILOSOPHY, NOT A RELIGION

GOD WANTS GOODNESS AND HAPPINESS FOR HIS PEOPLE SO, BEST WAY TO WORSHIP IS NOT

TO PRAY IN CHURCH DO GOOD WORKS: HUMANITARIAN SOCIAL IMPROVEMENTS RESULTED HEAVEN/HELL DETERMINED BY YOUR

ACTIONS ON EARTH

WHERE IT CAME FROM

REACTIONS AGAINST PURITAN IRRATIONALITY, SUPERSTITION, IGNORANCE, AND PESSIMISM AND THE EVILS THAT CAME FROM THAT WITCH TRIALS PREDESTINATION GOD’S WRATHFULNESS HUMAN NATURE IS EVIL

WHERE IT CAME FROM

NEO-CLASSICISM NEO=NEW CLASSICISM=ANCIENT GREECE RATIONAL THOUGHT OF ANTIQUITY

COME BACK TO LIFE WASHINGTON D.C ARCHITECTURE

WEAKNESSES

LACK OF FEELING CREATIVE WORKS BASED ON

IMAGINATION ARE FEW PERHAPS OVERLY CONCERNED

WITH PRACTICAL ISSUES

LITERATURE

PAMPHLETS WERE HUGE AND PROFITABLE

ESSAYS: USUALLY POLITICAL A FEW NOVELISTS: COOPER,

IRVING LAST OF THE MOHICANS RIP VAN WINKLE

LASTING IMPACT

TO BE “RATIONAL” IS STILL SEEN AS A COMPLIMENT

“COMMON SENSE” IS STILL AN AMERICAN VALUE: TERM COINED BY THOMAS PAINE

STILL SOMEWHAT SUSPICIOUS OF OVERT EMOTION

SCHOOLS: CRITICAL THINKING AS OPPOSED TO CREATIVE THOUGHT