Why does enlightenment matter?

Question

I need help with this because it sounds confusing.

Answer 1

Hello Hannah,

From your questions it sounds like you are asking about the Enlightenment Era. In this case enlightenment refers a new way of thinking. People began to question long held assumptions and thus became "enlightened." Thinkers such as Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Voltaire, the Baron de Montesquieu and Jean Jacques Rousseau are some of the most famous Enlightenment thinkers.

 

Main concepts/debates that came up in the Enlightenment were:

1. Human nature, was is basically evil or good? Are we able to change our nature or does it stay the same?

2. Does God exist? (many of the questions the Enlightenment thinkers dealt with focused around religion or long-held religious beliefs).

3. If God does exist is he active in our affairs or did he just create the world and step back to watch it work?

4. How should governments function. Is all the power held by the King or Emperor? Or is power truly with the people? (This was the beginning of many ideas that power was truly held within the hands of the people and they chose to give their leaders power to govern for them).

5. How should government work? Should it be "branches" of power? (Baron de Montesquieu was famous for his branches of government, this idea was adopted by the Founding Fathers when they formed the U.S. government).

 

Most of the ideas of the enlightenment were philosophical questions on humanity and society. They created the backbone of political movements such and the French and American Revolutions. Many of our current governments were built on certain enlightenment beliefs.

 

If you have any specific questions about the Enlightenment or any figures of the Enlightenment just let me know, I would be happy to help you.

 

Answer 2

Are you talking about the word enlightenment? Or the Enlightenment era? I would like to help but I am unsure which one you are asking about.