UNIT 3 THE ENLIGHTENMENT

Contents

3.0 Objectives
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Major Events during this Period
3.3 Aspects of Enlightenment Culture and Philosophy
3.4 Major Figures during the Enlightenment
3.5 Significance of the Enlightenment for Western Philosophy
3.6 Let Us Sum Up
3.7 Key Words
3.8 Further Readings and References
3.9 Answers to Check Your Progress

3.0. OBJECTIVES

The main objective of this Unit is to provide an overview of the Enlightenment and the impact it
has had in the development of Western Philosophy. As is often the case, the philosophy of a
given time is closely related to the culture from which it arises. Hence if we wish to understand
the period of ‘Modern Western Philosophy,’ we would need to be familiar with the prevailing
culture of the Enlightenment. The high point of this culture was in the 18th century, but we shall
extend our study to also include its origins, thus studying the period from 1600-1800 C.E.
(Remember that the previous culture – portrayed in the previous Unit – was the Renaissance,
which dominated European consciousness roughly from 1400-1600, though we have extended
our study of this period from 1300-1600).

By the end of this Unit you should be familiar with:

• The basic understanding of the period of the Enlightenment
• The major events and their significance during this period
• Significant themes during this period
• Prominent thinkers and personalities and their contribution
• The significance of this period in terms of Modern Western Philosophy

3.1.INTRODUCTION

The 17th century (the age of Descartes and Francis Bacon) is generally referred to as the Age of
Reason, while the term ‘Enlightenment’ is often restricted to the 18th century. There is in fact no
clear demarcation between the two. Hence when we refer to the ‘Enlightenment,’ we shall refer
to the events unfolding in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries (that is, roughly from 1600-
1800).

The period of the Enlightenment is characterized by the growing acceptance of reason (rather
than cultural and religious tradition) as the primary authority used to settle philosophical,
scientific and political problems. This emergence of a reason-based approach to life brought the

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age of the Renaissance to a close. This is because the Western mind entered a brand new phase
in its history, during which there was no need to prove one’s theories by citing Plato, Aristotle or
any other authoritative thinkers of the past any more. Anyone was free to contribute to the stock
of human knowledge through the means of observation, experimentation, and inference. A new
age with a scientific mindset had begun.

Almost every aspect of the Enlightenment is linked with this basic shift in philosophy. Indeed,
the shift had partially already begun during the Renaissance. But the Enlightenment was in a
special way the awakening of Europe, beginning with England. It was a time when philosophical
ideas began to play a role in transforming the day-to-day lives of even the simplest people.
Unlike previous cultural shifts such as the Renaissance, the Enlightenment was not restricted to a
particular social class but directly affected the general public through the spread of science,
education and democratic values. Wherever the new aspirations of the people were blocked,
pent-up tensions resulted in dramatic events such as the American War of Independence and the
French Revolution.

The most important countries influenced by the Enlightenment were England, France and
Germany. To begin with, in England, the 17th and 18th centuries were characterised by the steady
progress of science. The sciences were now completely separated from philosophy. The
development of science in England finally led to the Industrial Revolution through which
technology changed the face of England. Alongside this, there was a steady growth in the British
colonial empire, especially in India. Australia was discovered by Captain Cook. Trade with such
colonies helped to enrich England and fuelled the Industrial Revolution.

France, on the other hand, was driven by the prestige of the Bourbon royal family. Under the
great King Louis XIV, France became the cultural centre of Europe and all other European
nations tried to imitate French customs and manners. Every art and science was dominated by the
needs of the King and the Royal Court. However, during the 18th century, the common people of
France began to lose their respect for the King and were influenced instead by the writings of
Voltaire and other radical thinkers. Finally, King Louis XVI was overthrown and a Republic was
established.

Germany was divided into many small states as a result of the 30 years war. Austria and Prussia
were dominant but neither of them was able to unify the whole of Germany during this period,
and Germany was often vulnerable to the French. Nevertheless, German philosophy flourished,
and the period of the Enlightenment produced some of the greatest of philosophers, including
Immanuel Kant.

In general, Protestant States accepted the Enlightenment more readily than Catholic countries,
though Portugal (Catholic) was the first to promulgate laws based on Enlightenment Philosophy.
In France, the Enlightenment finally reached its climax in the French Revolution, while in
Germany, philosophy reached its highest point in the ‘transcendental idealism’ of Kant and the
‘absolute idealism’ of Hegel.

At the close of the Enlightenment, the intellectual atmosphere of the modern age was already in
place. Education was widespread in every country of Europe. The Industrial Revolution had

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begun in England but had been adopted by other countries as well. Finally, freedom and
democracy, the hallmarks of the modern age, had established themselves as ideals in England,
America, France and gradually other European countries.

3.2. MAJOR EVENTS DURING THIS PERIOD (1600-1800)

1600 The East India Company is founded in England.

1609 Kepler publishes The New Astronomy based on his first two laws.
1610 Galileo publishes The Starry Messenger, containing reports of his telescopic
discoveries including the moons of Jupiter and the phases of Venus.
1618-1648 The Thirty Years War between Catholics and Protestants in Germany.
1620 Francis Bacon’s Novum Organum introduces a new system of logic based on the
method of induction.
1628 William Harvey publishes a description of the circulation of blood.
1632 Galileo Galilei presents his arguments in favour of Copernicus’ theory in the
form of a book titled Dialogue on the Two Chief Systems of the World. The book
brings him into conflict with the Church.
1641 Publication of Rene Descartes’ Meditations.
1642-1714 Reign of Louis XIV, the ‘Sun King’ of France. France becomes the centre of
European culture.
1645 The first calculating machine is invented by Blaise Pascal.
1649 King Charles I of England is beheaded after a seven-year civil war. Parliament
takes over the government of the country.
1651 Thomas Hobbes publishes Leviathan, a work of political philosophy.
1687 Sir Isaac Newton publishes Principia Mathematica.
1688-89 The Stuart dynasty is overthrown in England and William of Orange (from the
Netherlands) is invited to be the King. Establishment of a Constitutional
Government brought about via the Declaration of Rights.
1690 John Locke’s Two Treatises on Civil Government.
1705 The steam pump is invented by Thomas Newcomen.
1721 Robert Walpole becomes the first Prime Minister of England.
1740-87 Reign of Frederick II the Great, ‘enlightened’ ruler of Prussia and friend of
Voltaire.
1744 onwards: Anglo-French struggle for supremacy in India.
1751 Diderot’s Encyclopedie began to be published (a multi-volume exposition by
prominent thinkers to promote the ideals of the Enlightenment).
1756-63 The Seven Years’ War; France loses its influence in India and Canada.
1757 The Battle of Plassey: The British become the de facto rulers of Bengal.
1758 Voltaire completes Candide.
1762 Rousseau publishes The Social Contract.
1764 Battle of Buxar: The Mughal Emperor is defeated and becomes a pensioner of the
British. The Marathas become a leading power in India.
1768 Captain Cook begins his voyages on the Endeavour.
1769 James Watt patents the improved steam engine.
1775-83 American War of Independence.

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1781 Immanuel Kant publishes A Critique of Pure Reason.
Emperor Joseph I of Austria liberates the serfs.
1789 onwards: The French Revolution.
1799 Napoleon becomes First Consul of France (later Emperor in 1804).

Check Your Progress I

Note: a) Use the space provided for your answer

b) Check your answers with those provided at the end of the unit

1) What is generally understood by the term ‘Enlightenment’?

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2) What are some of the defining moments of the period of the Enlightenment?
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3.3. ASPECTS OF ENLIGTENMENT CULTURE AND PHILOSOPHY

The Scientific Culture: Science in ancient and medieval times was largely dominated by
the ‘deductive method,’ which began with generally accepted conclusions (which were
culturally and theologically accepted as true) and then only applied to particular
observable cases. After the Renaissance, and especially during the Enlightenment, this
deductive method gave way to the ‘inductive method,’ which was based on observations
leading to newer and newer conclusions. This gave rise to new discoveries, and paved the
way for the ‘Industrial Revolution.’ This new form of scientific demonstration and
knowledge began to have greater prestige among the general population, and scientists
such as Isaac Newton and Edmund Halley were as prominent in their day as
Michelangelo and Leonardo had been during the Renaissance. Scientific inventions such
as the steam engine began to have an increasing application in controlling the forces of
nature. The advances in travel made the world grow smaller and allowed the development
of the vast British and Russian Empires. The new knowledge was compiled by the
Encyclopaedists in France.
Although the epoch can be said to have begun with Galileo, the person who stands out
with the greatest clarity is Sir Isaac Newton, the British scientist who discovered the
Universal Law of Gravitation and thereby showed how every object in the Universe is
related to every other object. Chemists increasingly discarded the ancient concept of the
four elements, while biologists, rather disturbingly, were beginning to show that man –
contrary to what the people of the Middle Ages had believed – was in fact similar in

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many ways to the lower animals. This ‘humbling’ of man, however, was not taken
negatively but seen as a challenge, namely, how human society could achieve the greatest
welfare of the greatest number of people, through the mastery of nature by means of
science and technology.
A New Philosophical Beginning: The Philosophy of the Enlightenment began with
Descartes’ tremendous decision to reject all previous philosophy as uncertain and make a
fresh beginning with the facts that he could be absolutely certain of: namely the fact that
he was thinking, and therefore that he himself existed (‘cogito, ergo sum’). His
methodology was highly successful and he was the father of a whole new movement that
sought to establish a valid epistemology through French and German Rationalism,
English Empiricism and finally German Idealism.
Hence a new age dawned – the age of ‘Modern Philosophy’. Modern philosophy no
longer made appeal to authorities such as Plato and Aristotle except as examples. Rather,
the main source of knowledge was the ‘great book of the world’ itself, and this book was
‘read’ through experience. Since the experiences of different peoples are different,
toleration and pluralism increased and there were calls for freedom of thought and
freedom of religion. There were also sceptics who tried to show that nothing was
knowable. Finally, there were political philosophers who were convinced that the old
order was the source of nothing but misery and slavery and were determined that it
should be replaced by a new order.
The Emergence of the Public Sphere: Strangely, one of the most important cultural
changes that took place during this period was the emergence of a space in which private
people were able to come together as a public. This public sphere included coffeehouses,
reading societies, etc. Through the growth of the international book trade and the
emergence of mass-produced pamphlets and news bulletins, people in different parts of
the world were increasingly reading and discussing the same events, persons and ideas.
For example, in 1776, Adam Smith estimated that 33,000 newspapers were sold in
Britain everyday. Voltaire’s books sold 1,500,000 copies within seven years. The
phenomenal growth of the press led to the establishment of what Immanuel Kant called a
‘tribunal of reason,’ i.e., an informal forum in which persons and their opinions were
either accepted or condemned. This proved important for the politics of the day but it also
had an impact on philosophy and religion.
The kind of books that were read also changed. Whereas books were earlier chiefly used
as a means to spiritual development, now they were increasingly read for intellectual
stimulation (as in the case of scientific literature) as well as for information that could
result in action (as in the case of political literature).
The Spread of Democratic Values: The 17th century saw various attempts made by
monarchs to establish the principle of the Divine Right of Kings. In the 18th century, this
was no longer possible. The bankrupt monarchs had to turn to assemblies and parliaments
to raise money to finance their projects. The result was that different groups of people
increasingly saw it as their right to place limits on the power of the kings.

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In England, this was achieved during the 17th century itself, with the Civil War (1640s)
and the Glorious Revolution (1688). Power began to pass from the King to the Prime
Minister. However, the French Kings refused to part with power in spite of their loss of
prestige in the 18th century. As a result, the writings of philosophers such as Voltaire and
Rousseau gained popularity and were instrumental in spreading the idea that all people
had a right to freedom and equality. Finally, after the Americans (with French support)
had given themselves a republican form of government, the common people of France,
who had been oppressed for centuries, rose up in Revolution against their King and
rebuilt their country and laws on the principles of liberty, equality and fraternity.

Check Your Progress II

Note: a) Use the space provided for your answer

b) Check your answers with those provided at the end of the unit

1) How did the Enlightenment give rise to a ‘modern’ mentality?

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2) What are some areas of continuity and difference between the Enlightenment and the earlier
period of the Renaissance?
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3.4. MAJOR FIGURES DURING THE ENLIGHTENMENT

Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) was an Italian astronomer and mathematician. He is famous for
having discovered the moons of Jupiter. He publicly defended the view that the Earth
travelled round the Sun. When he published these views in the form of a book titled
Dialogue on the Two Chief Systems of the World, he had to face intense opposition and
persecution, particularly from the religious authorities. He was put on trial in 1633,
suspected of contradicting the Bible. Hence, his life brought out the tragedy of the
contradiction between fundamentalist religious beliefs and scientific progress.

Rene Descartes (1596-1650), a French philosopher, widely regarded as the ‘Father of Modern
Philosophy.’ He began his career as a soldier but devoted his leisure hours to
philosophizing. In an age of uncertainty, he made a new beginning by discarding the
traditional scholastic methodology and beginning with the one fact that he could be
certain of – the fact that he was thinking. From this, he concluded that his own existence

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 was also a certainty. His well known saying is ‘cogito, ergo sum’ (‘I think, therefore I
am’). Proceeding in this manner, he built his entire philosophy using a mathematical style
of reasoning (he was also an excellent mathematician and is known for his contributions
to Coordinate Geometry). He published his philosophical reflections in several works
such as Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy.

Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) was a French mathematician, physicist and philosopher. The
scientific unit of pressure is named after him. At an early age, he invented the world’s
first calculating machine. In addition to his scientific achievements, he had a deep insight
into human nature, which he explores in his work titled Pensées (‘Thoughts’). He
believed that philosophy leads to scepticism, and that man’s true happiness lies in
religion. His ‘wager’ argument shows that if we cannot be certain of God’s existence, it is
more reasonable to believe in God (to bet that God exists and to live a life accordingly)
rather than to be an atheist.

Benedict (Baruch) Spinoza (1632-1677), a Dutch Jewish (later Christian) rationalist

philosopher, used a geometric method similar to Descartes in his philosophy. He came to
the conclusion that mind and matter were two aspects of the same substance. This led him
to a kind of pantheistic view according to which all things were somehow included in
God, and that nature was a manifestation of God. He also called for a government that
would be broad-minded and liberal. However, he was a thinker ahead of his times, and
his views were not easily accepted in 17th century Europe.

John Locke (1632-1704), in his Essay Concerning Human Understanding, began a new phase in
philosophy by turning from reason (Descartes’ method) to sense experience as a means of
attaining truth. This began the movement known as ‘Empiricism.’ He held that all our
ideas come ultimately from sense experiences. The mind combines simple ideas to
produce more complex ideas. For example, the sensations of ‘white,’ ‘hard,’ ‘high’ and
‘flat’ may be combined to form the idea of a white wall. Locke also wrote significant
treatises on economics and politics, and argued in favour of religious toleration, which
was rare in the 17th century. He is one of the first thinkers to propose that human beings
have rights innate to human nature. This thinking has gradually led to the creation of our
modern understanding of ‘human rights.’

Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) will probably rank as one of the greatest scientists ever. In less
than two years (1665-67) he invented a new branch of mathematics known as calculus,
discovered that white light is a mixture of different colours, and hit upon his Universal
Law of Gravitation. He is also known for his three laws of motion. However, he was
more interested in research than fame, and neglected to publish his discoveries until his
friend Edmund Halley (discoverer of Halley’s comet) urged him to do so in 1687 (in the
book titled Principia Mathematica). His scientific method, today known as ‘Classical
Physics,’ went unchallenged until the arrival of the Quantum Theory and the Theory of
Relativity in the 20th century.

Gottfried Leibniz (1646-1716), a German Rationalist, was highly skilled in a number of

disciplines and has made remarkable contributions in the fields of engineering, library

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 science, mathematics, logic, physics, linguistics, history, aesthetics and political science.
The modern system of library cataloguing comes from him. As a philosopher, he was
influenced by the teachings of Descartes and Spinoza but sought to build unity between
them and several other philosophies and religions. The result was his famous
philosophical concept of the monads which are the smallest units of substance, similar to
atoms but containing the past and the future of the substance as well. This will be
discussed in greater detail in the Block on ‘Rationalism’.

George Berkeley (1685-1753), an 18th century Irish (Anglican) Bishop and empiricist
philosopher, was famous for his statement that ‘to be is to be perceived’ (‘esse est
percipi’ in Latin). In other words, that which is not perceived has no real existence. This
philosophy is known as Immaterialism. For Berkeley, even the physical objects in our
world are nothing but ideas. Hence, he did not believe in the existence of matter.

Charles-Louis de Secondat (1689-1755), known as Montesquieu, was a pioneering French

political thinker and supporter of human freedom. In his book, The Spirit of the Laws, he
analysed different systems of government such as the Republic, the Monarchy and the
Despotic State. He argued that the best government would be one in which the three
powers of government, namely the legislative, executive and judicial, would be separate
from each other. His views have influenced the constitutions of many countries, including
India.

Francois-Marie Arouet (1694-1778), a famous French thinker, was better known by his pen
name of Voltaire. He was a deist, who believed in God, but not in any particular religion.
He strongly advocated the three principles of free trade, religious tolerance and freedom
of expression. He felt that it was only a combination of these that could lead to progress
and prosperity. Although he himself supported the idea of monarchy, his political thought
strongly influenced the French Revolution.

David Hume (1711-1776) was a famous Scottish philosopher of the Enlightenment. Although he
was born in a pious family, he gradually became a sceptic. He published A Treatise of
Human Nature at the age of 29. His writings are famous for their direct attacks on
religious belief. One of his claims is that human beings can never know for certain that
one event is the cause of another. By this skeptical claim, he undermined the foundation
of all human knowledge.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) was born in Geneva but settled in France. He was one of
the philosophers who prepared the ground for the French Revolution. In his most
important work, The Social Contract, he taught that human beings are naturally in
competition with one another and hence they join together to form groups so that they
stand a better chance in the struggle. Rousseau believed that this Social Contract was at
the basis of modern civilisation and society. He criticised the concept of private property
because it created social inequality. He advocated freedom, equality and justice for all.

Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) was probably the most influential philosopher of the
Enlightenment. He claimed that we can never know objects in themselves, but only as

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 they appear to us. Thus he brought about a ‘Copernican Revolution’ in philosophy
because his major insight was that knowledge is not determined by the nature of the
external world of objects but rather by the nature of human rationality. This approach
addressed many of the problems that philosophers had been discussing, and led to the
emergence of idealism in German philosophy. Some of Kant’s famous disciples include
Fichte, Schelling and Hegel, all of them great philosophers in their own right.

3.5. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ENLIGTENMENT FOR WESTERN PHILOSOPHY

• Ancient Philosophy was interested in wisdom which governed different aspects of

theoretical and practical life. Medieval Philosophy was interested in wisdom which
governed life in relationship with the divine reality. In contrast to these two
approaches, Modern Philosophy was more modest in its methods and its goals. It
largely restricted itself to epistemology, namely, the philosophical quest to know the
nature, origins and scope of human knowledge. This quest was considered to be
basic to all other theoretical and practical questions.
• This was because the Enlightenment was a period when neither theological authority
(the primary texts, the prominent thinkers and leaders of the Church), nor
philosophical authority (the texts and prominent thinkers of ancient and medieval
philosophy) was given primary importance.
• Instead, there was a desire to think things through from scratch, so that one could
arrive at the truth without the baggage and the blindfolds of theological and
philosophical tradition.
• Descartes is considered to be the father of Modern Philosophy. This is because he
was one of the first to decide that rather than accepting arguments from tradition and
authority, he would rely on his own power of reasoning and thus arrive at facts that he
could be certain of.
• After starting from scratch, the well known conclusion that he arrived at was ‘cogito,
ergo sum’ (‘I think, therefore I am’). From this, he was led to numerous other
conclusions.
• Of course, this attitude of starting from scratch was not easy, and was not even
possible. This is because many of the thinkers of this time were influenced by their
cultural, philosophical and religious traditions, and so their methodological processes
and conclusions were not as impartial as they thought them to be.
• Basically, the Rationalists (Descartes, Spinoza Leibniz) believed that the mind and its
faculties were largely responsible for most of the authentic knowledge which human
beings possess. On the other hand, the Empiricists (Locke, Berkeley, Hume) believed
that the senses and their powers were primarily responsible for genuine human
knowledge.

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• It was the German philosopher Immanuel Kant who reconciled these two positions by
claiming that while the mind produced necessary ‘concepts’ or categories with which
to understand reality, the senses produced necessary ‘percepts’ or sensations which
filled in these concepts. However, Kant influenced the whole of Contemporary
Philosophy to a large extent, because he believed that while the concepts of the
human mind are common to all of us, they do not allow us to know reality as such.
We only know reality based on the limits of these concepts of the human mind.
• Many philosophers after Kant began to doubt whether we can truly know and
understand metaphysical realities. Thus from the time of Kant, philosophy has
refrained from turning its gaze towards metaphysical questions concerning the
Heavens, and instead focused on questions primarily concerned with human and
social problems.
• On account of this Kantian influence, Contemporary Western Philosophy largely
focuses on issues concerned with human existence, scientific knowledge, language,
communication, social structures and similar human problems. The larger and all-
embracing vision of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy has been replaced by more
narrow concerns in Modern and Contemporary Philosophy which address the
problems which face people on the personal, inter-personal and social fronts.
• On the socio-political front, this attitude of starting from scratch with the use of
reason alone resulted in the downgrading of the authority of the many European
monarchs and of the upgrading of democratic processes in many nations.
• That is why while most parts of the world are still largely influenced by cultural
tradition and by religious authority, contemporary European consciousness – largely
influenced by the Enlightenment – is influenced by the powers of reason, scientific
demonstration and democratic social consensus to help form the fabric of society. In
this way, the Enlightenment has shaped current European culture and given it an
identity which is quite distinct from that of the rest of the world.
• In conclusion, it may be stated that the period of the Enlightenment has largely
defined the consciousness and social structure of modern Europe. This has happened
through the intellectual revolution in philosophy (the birth of Modern Philosophy,
and Kant’s ‘Copernican Revolution’), the scientific and technological revolution, the
Industrial Revolution (in England) and lastly the political revolutions in England,
France and America.

Check Your Progress III

Note: a) Use the space provided for your answer

b) Check your answers with those provided at the end of the unit

1) Give examples of major thinkers who represented this period, and their contribution.

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2) In what way was the Enlightenment significant in terms of Western Philosophy?
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3.6. LET US SUM UP

The period of ‘Modern Western Philosophy’ is closely related to the prevailing culture generally
known as the ‘Enlightenment.’ In order to enter more fully into the study of Modern Philosophy,
this Unit has helped us become more familiar with a basic overview of the Enlightenment, and
the more significant events and personalities prevailing during this timeframe of 1600-1800. We
have had a chance to reflect over some prominent problems and areas of concern which
dominated European consciousness during this age. Finally, we were also able to see how all of
these dimensions of the Enlightenment (significant events and developments, prominent
problems and themes, outstanding personalities) have had an impact on the development of
Western philosophy.

Try and remember the following key points related to the Enlightenment:
• The ‘Enlightenment’ (18th century) followed the Age of Reason (17th century). But more
generally speaking, the Enlightenment may be considered to cover the 17th and 18th centuries
(1600-1800), as it was the authority of reason which was increasingly used in philosophical
and scientific arguments, rather faith and cultural tradition.
• The period of the ‘Enlightenment’ largely coincides with the period in Western Philosophy
known as ‘Modern Philosophy.’ Modern philosophy was concerned with the problem of the
nature, source and scope of knowledge (that is, the branch of philosophy known as
‘Epistemology’).
• During the Renaissance, social progress was largely experienced by the rich, powerful and
educated. However, during the Enlightenment, social progress was enjoyed by a far wider
segment of the population.
• This period saw the rapid growth of democracy, beginning with England, France and
America. The spread of democracy helped to strengthen the values of liberty and equality in
Europe and in the ‘New World’ (North America).
• This period also resulted in the Industrial Revolution, because of the many technological
applications which sprang from scientific discoveries and inventions, and because of the
opportunities for trade with many European colonies all over the world.

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3.7. KEY WORDS

Enlightenment: A period in European cultural history beginning in the 17th century but peaking
in the 18th century, during which Reason (rather than cultural, religious and philosophical
tradition) was advocated as the main source and legitimacy for authority. It was a period of great
progress in science, philosophy and politics.

Inductive Method: This is a method of obtaining new knowledge through experimentation and
observation rather than from previously held theories. It allows the researcher to eliminate false
theories by seeing whether they correspond with the facts observed. As a method, it was
described in detail by Francis Bacon in 1620. It was very useful for scientific research and
scientific progress, as it led to many new discoveries and inventions.

Industrial Revolution: A period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when great changes
took place in the fields of mining, agriculture, transportation and other areas of technological
development. These changes made life more efficient, comfortable, and less physically stressful,
as machines began to do the work of human beings. These industrial changes transformed the
economic and cultural situation in Britain and subsequently led to social change all over the
world.

Democracy: A form of government “of the people, by the people and for the people,” in which
the citizens have the right to govern the state, and they exercise this right through a majority rule.
It is derived from the Greek terms demos (‘people’) and kratos (‘strength’). Modern democracy
is quite different from the democracy practiced in ancient times, as it attempts to give more and
more sections of people power, and not only certain privileged sections of society as in the past.

3.8. FURTHER READINGS AND REFERENCES

Brinton, Crane. “Enlightenment.” In: The Encyclopaedia of Philosophy. Vol.2. Ed. Paul
Edwards. New York and London: Collier Macmillan Publishers, 1967, 519-25.
Copleston, Frederick. A History of Philosophy. Vols.4-6. London: Burns Oates and Washbourne
Ltd., 1958-61.
Durant, Will, and Ariel Durant. The Story of Civilization. Vols.7-10. NY: Simon and Schuster,
1961-67.
Schmidt, J., ed. What is Enlightenment? Eighteenth-Century Answers and Twentieth Century
Questions. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1996.
Wokler, Robert. “Enlightenment, Continental.” In: Routledge Encyclopaedia of Philosophy.
Vol.3, ed. Edward Craig, London and New York: Routledge, 1998, 315-20.
Watson, Peter. Ideas: A History from Fire to Freud. London: Weidenfeld and Nicholson,
2005.
Yolton, J.W., R.Porter, P.Rogers, and B.M.Stafford, eds. The Blackwell Companion to the
Enlightenment. London: Blackwell, 1991.

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Important reference websites:
1. Enlightenment Primary Sources: www.historywiz.com/enlightenmentsources.htm
2. Internet Modern History Sourcebook: The Enlightenment
www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/modsbook10.html
3. The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: www.iep.utm.edu
4. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: plato.stanford.edu
5. The Meta-Encyclopedia of Philosophy: www.ditext.com/encyc/frame.html

3.9. ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

Check Your Progress I

1) What is generally understood by the term ‘Enlightenment’?
Ans: The Enlightenment was a period in the cultural history of Europe beginning in the 17th
century and reaching its climax in the 18th century. During this time, there was a general
awakening of Europe from its tradition-bound past, in favour of a future which was to be
governed by reason and scientific and social progress. It was a period when learning and
philosophy were no longer restricted to a few scholars but became widespread among the
common people. This resulted in important intellectual, scientific, cultural and political
revolutions.

2) What are some of the defining moments of the period of the Enlightenment?
Ans: Some of the most important historical events of the Enlightenment are given below:
1620 Francis Bacon’s Novum Organum introduces a new system of logic based on
the method of induction.
1632 Galileo Galilei publishes his arguments in favour of Copernicus’ theory,
bringing him into conflict with the Church.
1641 Publication of Rene Descartes’ Meditations
1687 The publication of Isaac Newton’s Principia Mathematica
1688-89 The ‘Glorious Revolution’ in England
1751-72 Publication of Diderot’s Encyclopedie
1756-63 The Seven Years War
1775-83 American War of Independence
1781 Immanuel Kant publishes A Critique of Pure Reason
1789-93 The French Revolution

Check Your Progress II

1) How did the Enlightenment give rise to a ‘modern’ mentality?
Ans: The Enlightenment saw the birth of a scientific culture, which in turn led to many
technological innovations. Argument from authority began to lose ground while reason and
empirical evidence became more important as sources of knowledge. At the same time there
were numerous social changes, as a result of which people were reading more and discussing

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various issues in the newly-emerging public forum. Finally, the understanding by which human
beings were believed to possess natural rights gave birth to the modern political ideas of
freedom, equality and democracy.

2) What are some areas of continuity and difference between the Enlightenment and the
earlier period of the Renaissance?
Ans: Some areas of continuity between Renaissance and Enlightenment:
a) The separation of philosophy and theology continued.
b) There was a similar appeal to the power of reason and experience rather than authority.
c) There was a gradual spread of education, learning and reading.

Some areas of difference between Renaissance and Enlightenment:

a) The Renaissance aimed to revive classical ideas whereas the Enlightenment aimed at
progressing beyond what had been achieved in the past.
b) The Renaissance was a cultural change that affected certain strata of society whereas the
Enlightenment affected the daily lives of society as a whole, including ordinary, simple people.
c) The Renaissance was dominated by the arts and humanities, while the Enlightenment was
dominated by science and technology.

Check Your Progress III

1) Give examples of major thinkers who represented this period, and their contribution.
Ans: Some of the most important thinkers of the Enlightenment were:
a) Rene Descartes, who attempted to make a fresh beginning in philosophy, presupposing
nothing from authority or tradition.
b) Sir Isaac Newton, who discovered the Universal Law of Gravitation and the three laws of
motion. These and other discoveries helped to revolutionize the world of science and
technology.
c) Montesquieu, Voltaire and Rousseau, who propagated Enlightenment ideas in France, leading
ultimately to the French Revolution.
d) Immanuel Kant, who brought about a ‘Copernican Revolution’ in philosophy by turning
philosophical attention from the world of objects to the world of the subject.

2) In what way was the Enlightenment significant in terms of Western Philosophy?

Ans: The Enlightenment was significant for the following reasons:
a) A new beginning was made in philosophy by the return to direct experience and reasoning
rather than arguments from tradition and authority.
b) There was a shift in philosophical interest from metaphysics towards epistemology. Within
epistemology, there was a shift from the world of external objects to the faculties and conceptual
abilities of the knowing subject.
c) Numerous changes in the scientific, industrial and political realms brought about a new
confidence in human potential and human progress. This in turn led to the gradual secularization
of Europe (where earthly interests took prominence over other-worldly considerations).
Likewise, the philosophical horizon began to become more human and more secular, rather than
show interest in transcendental questions which were earlier discussed in metaphysics and ethics.

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