The Influences

Enlightenment Transcript (PDF)

Huge Changes Politically

• Huge changes in Europe and America
• The creation of the United States of America
• The demise of the French Monarchy

The Enlightenment

Required article – videos on site are optional and are not closed captioned

• Emphasis on Reason and Intellect
• Emphasis on Secular Concerns
• Freedom from Tyranny and Superstition
• Attacks against hypocrisy
• Belief in the Goodness of Man
• Emphasis on the Common Man

The Evolution of Humanism

Rational Humanism Transcript (PDF)

• Rational Humanism – optional
• Progress through learning
• Humans must be free to think and learn

Rene Descartes  optional –    Father of Modern Philosophy

• “I think, therefore I am’
• A rationalist

John Locke    optional

• Our experience shapes us
• An empiricist
• Argued against the “divine right” of kings

Immanuel Kant    optional

• We use our mind to make sense of our experiences
• Rationalism and empiricism combined