Deism

A consistent theme in American history has been an evolving understanding of freedom and liberty. In the 19th century, this meant freedom for enslaved Africans; in the 20th century, women and minorities were liberated from their state of political impotence by securing the right to vote; and in the 21st century, LGBT people have succeeded in challenging long-standing cultural norms associated with privacy and religion. When going much further back in history and assessing the changing nature of…

Voltaire’s main project in Candide is to critique Enlightenment thinking, specifically Leibniz’s philosophical theory of Optimism. He does this most effectively through the folly of the character of Pangloss the philosopher, who is a representation of Leibniz and Optimism. Throughout the narrative, Pangloss’ stubborn belief in Optimism becomes absurd and inappropriate when it is juxtaposed with the terrible things that the characters endure. Voltaire is questioning blind adherence to…

How the Age of Reason Leads to the Revolution The Age of Reason is a movement that started in Europe and spread to America. This movement brought about the use of reason or rationale thinking, instead of tradition and established doctrine. People began thinking differently and realized they did not have to accept the ways of the past as the way of the future. Once the American colonists began to believe in these ideas, they began to question divine-right of kings and entrenched manners of…

The Rights to Religion Some say that the etymology of religion comes from the Latin word religare, meaning, “to tie or to bind”; some argue that it can be connected with the term relegere, which means to “read over again”, while others just say religion does not truly exist, it is just a culture. Religion can be a tricky subject, that most people steer clear of, except within their personal lives. Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson, however, are different than most people; their views on…

Being an atheist in the south can bring a lot of trouble and conflict. It is a viewpoint that is less accepted than most others. There are many misconceptions about what exactly atheism is. Some people believe atheism is a religion, but atheism is simply the lack of belief in a god, gods, deities, or any supernatural forces. The beliefs atheist have can vary from individuals and are generally different. People who identify as atheist may have very different beliefs, but generally there are a few…

Following the Feudal ages, a great wave a change hit Europe. Religion was no longer used as proof, whereas human thoughts and experiences were valued. The Enlightenment, during the 17th and 18th centuries, was an intellectual movement that emphasized reason rather than tradition. The philosophies heavily influenced many leaders and were even taken on by absolutists. Frederick the Great and Catherine of Russia, despite their despotism, were truly enlightened rulers who implemented the ideals of…

One of the main themes throughout the Enlightenment period deals with man’s place in the universe and his relationship with God. Many Enlightenment thinkers share the thought that God has no imperfections, therefore he created a perfect world that we humans live in today. German philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz claims that God has created the best of all possible worlds. Two of the most well known Enlightenment writers, Alexander Pope and Francois-Marie Arouet, better known as Voltaire,…

In Benjamin Franklin's The Autobiography. detailed his journey to Philadelphia and his method of his Thirteen Virtues. Franklin had made a catalog of certain traits that he considered to be at "moral perfection", while at his stay in Philadelphia, to "live without committing any fault at any time". Among these thirteen virtues, I, Genghis Sam Ganbold, consider Tranquility, Resolution, and Chastity to be favorable towards me. According to Benjamin Franklin, Tranquility can be yielded by "be not…

In Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography, he explains his thirteen virtues that he has observed to achieve perfection. He believes that in order to achieve perfection in all aspects of life, you must follow a strict lifestyle that adapts to the thirteen virtues he created. During the three weeks, I followed the cleanliness, silence, and temperance virtues. After experiencing the virtues for three weeks, I realized how I needed to change how I was living. During the first week of the examination…

Throughout his life, Benjamin Franklin tried to find ways to improve himself morally, intellectually, and physically. Benjamin Franklin created many self-improvement methods to try and reach his goals. Franklin was a major philosopher for the Enlightenment period and had a huge effect on human nature. His improvements and accomplishments inspired many to follow in his footsteps. To begin with, Benjamin Franklin improved himself though moral thinking. Moral thinking is the concernment with…