Philosophers & thinkers

4/6/16                  I  can  describe  the  accomplishments  of              the  Enlightenment  thinkers  and  connect                      thes...
Author: Peregrine Jones
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               I  can  describe  the  accomplishments  of              the  Enlightenment  thinkers  and  connect                      these  accomplishments  to  my  own  life.     •  7.62  Describe  the  accomplishments  of  major   Enlightenment  thinkers,  including  Locke  and   Charles-­‐Louis  Montesquieu.  

Philosophers & thinkers •  They believed the use of reason could improve society . To actually achieve this progress they had to share their ideas with others!

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•  Believed  the  church  and  government  should   be  separate.   •  Remember…he  said  he  believed  everyone   had  the  right  to  say  what  they  wanted  to  say.   •  NO  censorship      

Voltaire •  French  philosopher     •  mocked  government  and  religion  in  his  wri:ngs   •  believed  humans  could  improve  their  own   existence,  instead  trus:ng  God  to  improve   human  happiness     •  spoke  out  against  censorship-­‐  removal  of   informa,on  considered  harmful;  got  in  trouble   for  some  of  his  wri:ngs    

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Voltaire “I  may  disapprove  of  what  you  say,  but  I  will   defend  to  the  death  of  your  right  to  say  it.”    

•  English  professor  John  Locke  had  a  major   influence  on  Enlightenment  poliOcal  thought.   In  1690,  he  published  Two  Trea(ses  on   Government.  He  argued  for  government  as  a   contract  between  the  ruler  and  the  people.   Remember  a  contract  is  a  binding  legal   agreement.  A  contract  would  bound  both   sides  and  the  rulers  power  would  be  limited.   Why  do  you  think  this  is  important?  

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•  Locke  believed  the  government  existed  only  for   the  good  of  the  people.  He  declared  that  all   people  had  certain  natural  rights-­‐  which   included  the  rights  to  life,  liberty,  and  property.     •  He  believed  no  person  was  born  with  special   privileges.  According  to  Locke,  the  government   should  protect  the  natural  rights  of  the  ciOzens.  If   it  didn’t  the  people  should  have  the  right  to   change  the  rules.  

•  Frenchman,  Montesquieu,  was  a     member  of  the  nobility.  He  built  on     Locke's  ideas  in  The  Spirit  of  the  Laws’   published  in  1748.     •  He  claimed  that  government  should  be   divided  into  separate  branches  to  protect   people’s  freedom.     •  This  ideas  was  known  as  the  separa:on  of   powers-­‐  each  branch  of  government  was   limited  by  the  others.  The  branches  had  to   share  the  power.    

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•  French  thinker  focused  on  divine  right.  What   was  divine  right?   •  He  believed  in  popular  sovereignty-­‐  the  idea   that  governments  should  express  the  will  of   the  people.   •  Power  was  shi_ing  from  the  wealthy  nobles   and  rulers  to  ALL  THE  PEOPLE!  

•  The  Social  Contract-­‐  published  in  1762  he   declared  “Man  is  born  free”,  but  he  is   everywhere  else  in  chains”.  

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•  According  to  Rousseau,  ciOzens  submit  to  the   authority  of  the  government  to  protect  their   own  interest  entering  into  a  “social  contract”.   •  This  contract  gives  the  government  the   power  to  make  and  enforce  laws  as  long  as  it   serves  the  people.  The  government  should   give  up  that  power  if  it  is  not  serving  the   people.    

Denis Diderot •  Philosopher  edited  a  book   called  the  Encyclopedia.     –  included  arOcles  by  more  than   100  experts  on  science,   technology,  and  history  

•  The  French  king  and  the  pope   both  banned  the   Encyclopedia.  Why  do  you   think  that  was?  

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Thomas  Hobbes  and  the  nature  of  society  (all   men  are  bru:sh).  Idea  that  men  must  forfeit   some  personal  freedoms  for  the  benefit  of   having  a  strong  ruler  who  maintains  a  peaceful   and  orderly  society.  

British Writers •  BriOsh  writer,  Mary  WollstonecraO  argued  that   women  should  have  the  same  rights  as  men.     •  The  E  thinkers  even  applied  their  ideas  of   freedom  and  progress  to  economics.   •  Adam  Smith-­‐  believed  economics  was  governed   by  natural  law   –   argued  that  government  should  not  try  to  control   the  economy  and  that  economic  growth  came  from   the  people-­‐  what  do  you  think  this  means?     –  Many  of  his  arguments  are  the  foundaOons  for   economists…  

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So the Enlightenment said… •  The  ability  to  reason  is  what  made  humans  unique   •  Reasons  can  be  used  to  solve  problems  and  improve   people’s  lives   •  Reason  can  free  people  from  ignorance,  supersOOon,   and  unfair  government   •  The  natural  world  is  governed  by  laws  that  can  be   discovered  through  reason   •  Like  the  natural  world,  human  behavior  is  governed   by  natural  law   •  Governments  should  reflect  natural  laws  and   encourage  educaOon  and  debate.  

•  Listen  to  the  lyrics  of  a  popular  song.     •  In  your  chart,  tell  me  which  Enlightenment   thinker  would’ve  listened  to  your  song  or   would’ve  wriRen  it.   – Why?    What  Enlightenment  ideas  are   represented  in  your  song?  

•  We  will  compare  ideas  aOer  all  songs.  

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