Transcript Sci Rev and Enlightenment Review philosophy_20071

A Greek named Aristotle invented the scientific
method in 535 B.C.
Scientists worked for centuries to discover these
physical laws
Galilieo invented the telescope and
studied astronomy
Descarte created a philosophy, mind-body
dualism, based on his observations of an animal
eye. “I think therefore I am”
Copernicus, the father of modern astronomy, studied the
celestial bodies and developed a helio-centric model of our
solar system.
During the Scientific Revolution mankind learned
that physical laws control the Universe
Issac Newton’s theories are still used in
modern physics.
THE
PHILOSOPHES
questioned existing ideas about authority
believed people were individuals
believed in educating all people
most rejected the ideas of established religion
Evolution of Democracy in England
The Glorious Revolution 1688 English Bill of Rights
William and Mary
Parliament
Magna Carta (1215)
King John
Magna Carta
World History
Philosophy of Thomas Hobbes
Political Philosophers
 1588 - 1679 The Philosopher for the Monarchy
“ I prefer the evil of absolute power to the greater evil of a
society which has no authority”
 Politics was a science…basic natural laws of
human behavior similar to the physical world
 Feared Chaos & Anarchy
Invented the Theory of Social Contract..but not
“Divine Right”
State of Nature - Total Freedom of mankind…meaning?
(man is evil and motivated by greed , selfishness, self
serving. Man will do anything to acquire shelter, wealth,
food, power, sex, fame, property…etc. )
People emerge from the State of Nature (anarchy) with a
social contract with government. This contract may not
be broken …why not?
 Supported Absolute Monarchy….why?
World History
 1632 - 1704
Philosophy of John Locke
 The Philosopher for Modern Democracy
 In favor after the Glorious Revolution
Philosophy :
- All Men are created equal. (renounced Divine Right of Kings)
- Man originally exists in a state of nature.
- In state of nature man is born good, independent, and equal but needs some
control. Therefore, the social contract needs to be formed and government was
invented.
- People come from the state of nature with a contract in order to control man.
- God granted everyone certain “natural unalienable rights”. Those rights are
life, liberty, and the property.
- The government’s sole purpose is to protect life, liberty, and property. Men
give up some of their freedom and agree to follow governments laws in order to
live in society.
- If government were to violate any of these rights, then the people have
the right to break the social contract and revolt.
World History
Political Philosophers
Philosophy of Voltaire
( real name: Francois-Marie Arolet)
 1694-1778
 Strongly believed in Freedom of Religion,
Freedom of the Press and Free Speech
“I disapprove of what you say but will defend to
the death your right to say it”
Relate the importance of this philosophy to the
success of a democracy.
 Voltaire’s philosophy has been included in the
American Bill of Rights
 1712
- 1778
Philosophy of Jean-Jacques Rousseau
 Also believed in the Social Contract. Believed that Man was
basically good but was corrupted by society.
Believed arts and sciences corrupted natural goodness
 Renounced the Divine Right of Kings
 General Will”: members of society agree to be governed by the
general will (which represents what is best for society as a whole)
civilized people
noble savages
unhappy
in harmony with nature
insecure
happier
selfish
less selfish and greedy
--accepted intuition rather than scientific evidence
---let children enjoy youth study later when they want to
--society formed by social contract with others in the
community rather than with the government. Therefore the
power to rule must belong to the people.
MAN IS BORN FREE AND EVERYWHERE HE IS IN CHAINS
World History
Political Philosophers
 1689
- 1775
Philosophy of Baron de Montesquieu
 Major theory - that government should be
divided into three separate branches, each
coming to power in a separate manner and
each having a check on the power of the other
two. Relate to American Government.
3 Branches of Government
Legislative, Judicial & Executive
The Legislative branch makes the laws
The Executive has the power to enforce the laws
The Judicial branch interprets the laws & judges when laws are broken.
1743-1826 Thomas Jefferson
•Author of the Declaration of Independence
• Influenced by the writings of John Locke
• Changed the Locke’s phrase of “life, liberty
and property to “life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness”.
• Believed all men were created equal.
• Became the 3rd President of the United States.
• Famous quote “ the tree of liberty should
occasionally be watered with the blood of the
martyrs”
World History
Political Philosophers
Cesare Beccaria 1738-1794
•Wrote: Crimes and Punishment
•Philosophy: The crime should fit the
punishment
•Dei delitti e delle pene. English: An essay on
crimes and punishments. Written by the
Marquis Beccaria, of Milan. With a
commentary attributed to Monsieur de Voltaire.
Contemporary political philosophers distinguish between two principle theories of justifying punishment.
First, the retributive approach maintains that punishment should be equal to the harm done, either literally
an eye for an eye, or more figuratively which allows for alternative forms of compensation. The retributive
approach tends to be retaliatory and vengeance-oriented. The second approach is utilitarian which
maintains that punishment should increase the total amount of happiness in the world. This often involves
punishment as a means of reforming the criminal, incapacitating him from repeating his crime, and
deterring others. Beccaria clearly takes a utilitarian stance. For Beccaria, the purpose of punishment is to
create a better society, not revenge. Punishment serves to deter others from committing crimes, and to
prevent the criminal from repeating his crime.
Mary Wollstonecraft 1759-1797
•Philosophy: Rights of Women
•English author and Feminist
A Vindication of the Rights of Women
Argued that the Enlightenment was based on
reason and since women have reason, they too
are entitled to natural rights.
Wollstonecraft proposed the deliberate expansion of Enlightenment ideals
to include education for women, whose rational natures are no less capable
of intellectual achievement than are those of men.
Excessive concern for romantic love and physical desirability, she
believed, are not the natural conditions of female existence but rather the
socially-imposed means by which male domination enslaves them
Adam Smith 1723-1790
* English Economist
* wrote: Wealth of Nations
*Philosophy: Laissez-Faire
“let people do what they want”
“government keep out”
“let business do as it pleases”
* Natural Laws of Economics
* Supply and demand
* Competition
Denis Diderot 1713-1784
•Published: Encyclopedia, or Classification
Dictionary of the Sciences
* Attacked superstition
* Called for political changes
* Spread Enlightenment Ideas
French philosopher, and man of letters, the chief editor of the L'Encyclopédie, one of the principal
literary monuments of the Age of Enlightenment. The work took 26 years of Diderot's life. In
seventeen volumes of text and eleven of illustrations, it presented the achievements of human
learning in a single work. Besides offering a summary of information on all theoretical
knowledge, it also challenged the authority of the Catholic Church.