HIST1601 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Immanuel Kant, Montesquieu, Invisible Hand
Document Summary
French culture but spread across europe and to american colonies: attempt to view society with a mechanical approach (like a clock) Search for natural laws in politics, economics, society and history. Intellectuals saw themselves as reformers: achieved through argument, criticism and debate. Linked to new faith in the natural abilities of the human mind: reason rather than faith is the path to knowledge, questioning of accepted truths and analysing the world yourself. "on the word of no one" (nullius in verba: god created man but man can uncover knowledge and truths through thinking. Immanuel kant: dare to know, have the courage to use your own reason. Systematic analysis of custom, culture and social life. Belief in progress: use of reason ensures progress. Future will be different from present: temporal world more important than the future in heaven, past is viewed as a long and slow progressive development, age of reason was an important step in humanity"s historical progress.
