HIS109Y1 Lecture : The Philosophes.pdf
Document Summary
Figures of the scientific revolution were the beginning of the rational thinkers. Age of reason could begin with the printing of the discourse of method. Romanticism also began to rise during the 18th century. Things that defined the age of reason : Education, intelligence, were seen as secular - they began to become secular from the church. Way to approach the universe was to use logic and reason over divine revelation. The universal laws of nature began to develop an idea that nature could be understood. Therefore, if you understand something, you can control it. The application of reason could produce better results for mankind than were ever produced before. They weren"t able to change things such as the universe, but could control some aspect of nature. Therefore, social structures aloong with economic structures needed to be re- evaluated in order to better society. To make an idea, valid, it had to improve the conditions of people living on earth.
