Scientific Revolution to Enlightenment
Gregory R. Bowen
History 2321: World Civilizations II
March 05, 2017
Science, Enlightenment, and Revolution
The effect the Enlightenment had in shaping the modern world as we know it, is undeniable; the notion of reason, thought, and democracy all find their origin in the movement. It quickly followed the Scientific Revolution, which saw blind trust in the how the church defined the nature of the universe, based on the learning of the ancient Greeks, and questioned for the church for the first time. This new direction in science and reasoning was at times, in conflict with the official position of the church, and later in the Enlightenment, with the goal of disproving the previous …show more content…
He railed against social injustice, formalized religion, fanaticism and believed in the freedom of speech and religion, as well as advocating a separation of church and state. Rousseau’s (1712-1778) thoughts and ideas were highly influential on the radicals of the French Revolution; The Social Contract or Principles of Political Right (1762) called for the end of monarchy and a rule of the people; stating that the people a contract with the government, if this is broken by the government, the people have the right to back out of the contract. This type of thinking, born of the Enlightenment, is completely opposite of the notion of birth determining your place that France practiced for centuries. Rousseau’s ideas were dangerous enough to the government, that much of his work was banned during his lifetime. The ideas of each of these men, and others, all were born of the Age of Reason; from the Scientific revolution to the enlightenment; from seeking knowledge to actively questions long accepted mores and traditions, these men and this age brought a new era and way of thinking on the world …show more content…
The idea of a rule by the people, a government’s duty to the people, equality among men, freedom of religion, speech, assembly, separation of church and state, and a separation of powers were new enough to be enticing after centuries of traditional rule under a monarchy. These ideas, espoused by Hobbes, Hume, Locke, Montesquieu, Voltaire, and Rousseau show up in some form in the constitutions that resulted from enlightened thinking; from the American Revolution to the French Revolution, on to South America and the Caribbean and into the modern democratic nations. The proliferation of periodicals along with increased literacy brought these new ideas to the masses; ideas were discussed and debated in coffee houses and the gathering places of the people. A change was coming, whether the old order wanted it or not or even believed that it was a possibility. The ideas once brought out, gained a life of their own, leading to revolution and a change in how governments were viewed and established across the
Gregory R. Bowen
History 2321: World Civilizations II
March 05, 2017
Science, Enlightenment, and Revolution
The effect the Enlightenment had in shaping the modern world as we know it, is undeniable; the notion of reason, thought, and democracy all find their origin in the movement. It quickly followed the Scientific Revolution, which saw blind trust in the how the church defined the nature of the universe, based on the learning of the ancient Greeks, and questioned for the church for the first time. This new direction in science and reasoning was at times, in conflict with the official position of the church, and later in the Enlightenment, with the goal of disproving the previous …show more content…
He railed against social injustice, formalized religion, fanaticism and believed in the freedom of speech and religion, as well as advocating a separation of church and state. Rousseau’s (1712-1778) thoughts and ideas were highly influential on the radicals of the French Revolution; The Social Contract or Principles of Political Right (1762) called for the end of monarchy and a rule of the people; stating that the people a contract with the government, if this is broken by the government, the people have the right to back out of the contract. This type of thinking, born of the Enlightenment, is completely opposite of the notion of birth determining your place that France practiced for centuries. Rousseau’s ideas were dangerous enough to the government, that much of his work was banned during his lifetime. The ideas of each of these men, and others, all were born of the Age of Reason; from the Scientific revolution to the enlightenment; from seeking knowledge to actively questions long accepted mores and traditions, these men and this age brought a new era and way of thinking on the world …show more content…
The idea of a rule by the people, a government’s duty to the people, equality among men, freedom of religion, speech, assembly, separation of church and state, and a separation of powers were new enough to be enticing after centuries of traditional rule under a monarchy. These ideas, espoused by Hobbes, Hume, Locke, Montesquieu, Voltaire, and Rousseau show up in some form in the constitutions that resulted from enlightened thinking; from the American Revolution to the French Revolution, on to South America and the Caribbean and into the modern democratic nations. The proliferation of periodicals along with increased literacy brought these new ideas to the masses; ideas were discussed and debated in coffee houses and the gathering places of the people. A change was coming, whether the old order wanted it or not or even believed that it was a possibility. The ideas once brought out, gained a life of their own, leading to revolution and a change in how governments were viewed and established across the