Enlightenment and Enlightenment and AbsolutismAbsolutism

Philosophy in the Age of Philosophy in the Age of ReasonReason

Thomas HobbesThomas Hobbes► Publications – Publications –

LeviathanLeviathan► Views on Human Views on Human

Nature – Nature – cruel & cruel & greedygreedy (if not (if not controlled, people controlled, people would fight one would fight one another)another)

Thomas Hobbes (Views on Thomas Hobbes (Views on Government)Government)

►Social Contract Social Contract – gave up state of – gave up state of nature (no rules) for an organized nature (no rules) for an organized society (an society (an agreement agreement between between people and government)people and government)

►Best government – Best government – absolute absolute monarch monarch (ensure order/control)(ensure order/control)

John LockeJohn Locke► Publications – Publications – Two Two

Treatises of Treatises of GovernmentGovernment

► Views on Human Views on Human Nature – reasonable Nature – reasonable and moral/and moral/natural natural rights rights (life, liberty, (life, liberty, and and propertyproperty))

John Locke (Views on John Locke (Views on Government)Government)

►Rejected absolute monarchs (Rejected absolute monarchs (monarchsmonarchs are not chosen by God)are not chosen by God)

►Social Contract – give up nature and Social Contract – give up nature and governmentgovernment will protect your rights (life, will protect your rights (life, liberty, and property)liberty, and property)

► If the government fails, you have the If the government fails, you have the right to right to overthrowoverthrow the government the government

►PeoplePeople give government the power to give government the power to existexist

Jacques RousseauJacques Rousseau► Publications – Publications –

Social ContractSocial Contract► Views on Human Views on Human

Nature – happy and Nature – happy and possess possess natural natural rightsrights

Jacques Rousseau (Views on Jacques Rousseau (Views on Government)Government)

►Social Contract – give up nature so Social Contract – give up nature so that the government can enforce the that the government can enforce the will of the will of the majoritymajority (General Will – will (General Will – will of the majority)of the majority)

MontesquieuMontesquieu► Publications – Spirit Publications – Spirit

of the Lawsof the Laws► Views on Views on

Government – 3 Government – 3 branches of branches of government government ((separation of separation of powerspowers) and ) and checks and checks and balancesbalances

VoltaireVoltaire► Views on Views on

Government 1. Government 1. Freedom of Freedom of speechspeech

2. 2. ReligiousReligious tolerancetolerance

3. Separation of 3. Separation of church and church and

statestate

Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson► Publication – Publication –

Declaration of Declaration of IndependenceIndependence

► Views on Views on Government – Government – based on based on Locke’sLocke’s ideas ideas natural natural rights (life, liberty, rights (life, liberty, and the pursuit of and the pursuit of happiness)happiness)

Enlightenment and Enlightenment and TechnologyTechnology

► The Age of The Age of Reason Reason witnessed witnessed inventions and inventions and innovations in innovations in technology that technology that stimulated trade stimulated trade and and transportationtransportation

Enlightenment and Enlightenment and TechnologyTechnology

► All-weather roads All-weather roads improved year- improved year- round round transporttransport and trade.and trade.

►New designs in farm New designs in farm tools increased tools increased productivityproductivity (agricultural (agricultural revolution).revolution).

► ImprovementsImprovements in in ship design lowered ship design lowered the cost of transportthe cost of transport

Enlightenment and ArtEnlightenment and Art► The Enlightenment The Enlightenment brought a new brought a new

emphasis on the order and balance in emphasis on the order and balance in the the arts arts as artists borrowed heavily as artists borrowed heavily from classical from classical Greece and Rome.Greece and Rome.

►New forms of New forms of literatureliterature were were established.established.

Art and Literature of the Art and Literature of the 16th, 17th, and 18th 16th, 17th, and 18th

centuriescenturiesNew forms of art and literatureNew forms of art and literature►PaintingsPaintings showed classical subjects, showed classical subjects,

public events, natural scenes, and public events, natural scenes, and living people living people (portraits(portraits).).

►New forms of literature developed—New forms of literature developed—the the novel novel (e.g., Cervantes’ (e.g., Cervantes’ Don Don QuixoteQuixote).).

Art and Literature of the Art and Literature of the 16th, 17th, and 18th 16th, 17th, and 18th

centuriescenturiesRepresentative artists, philosophers, Representative artists, philosophers,

and writersand writers► Johann Sebastian Johann Sebastian BachBach— Composer— Composer►Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart— Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart—

ComposerComposer► Eugène DelacroixEugène Delacroix—Painter—Painter►Miguel de Cervantes—Miguel de Cervantes—NovelistNovelist