“Enlightenment is man’s release from his self-incurred tutelage. Tutelage is man’s inability to make use of his understanding without direction from others. Self-incurred is this tutelage when its cause lies not in lack of reason but in lack of resolution and courage to use it without direction from another. ‘Have courage to use your own reason!’ - that is the motto of enlightenment.”

- Immanuel Kant, 1784

I. Society in the 1700’s

Social Structure

Urbanization

II. Principles of the Enlightenment

1. The idea of the Enlightenment connotes progress and optimism

2. Reliance upon reason

3. Questioned the social system – especially institutional religion

4. New approach emerged after 1776/1789

III. Philosophes & Philosophies

            Voltaire

            Diderot

            Deism

            Locke

IV. Enlightened Monarchs

            Maria Theresa

            Catherine the Great

Major Publications & Events

1687    Publication of Newton’s Principia

1688-9 Revolution in England: censorship loosened, power of clergy weakened

1690    Locke’s Reasonableness of Christianity

1733    Voltaire’s Letters Concerning the English Nation

1751-72           Diderot’s Encyclopedia

1762    Rousseau’s Emile and The Social Contract

1775    American Revolution

1776    Smith’s Wealth of Nations

1781    Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason

1787    Dutch Revolution

1789    French Revolution

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