Thinkers Of The Enlightenment Essay, Research Paper

After the Middle Ages, provincials moved from rural countries to towns in hunt of increased

freedom. They shortly began to recognize that things need non follow the traditions that dated back

centuries, that they had a right to organize their ain thoughts, ain sentiments, and ain system of

authorities despite their position. The two obstructions they faced were absolutist male monarchs and dogmatic

churches, yet despite these the cardinal thoughts flourished: individualism, freedom, autonomy,

and

creativeness. In this environment, the philosophers flourished. What was most surprising is that the

most enthusiastic followings were among the upper category.

Voltaire, joined by an ground forces of philosophes: Charles Montesquieu, Pierre Bayle and Jean

vitamin D? Alembert, tantrum in easy among the nobility. He dined at their tabular arraies, corresponded with

sovereign, and took a high-titled kept woman. He opposed the traditional edgy Gallic beliefs, but

had no involvement in democracy, as he had far excessively small religion in the common fan for such a

authorities. He believed that the educated individual could come to see what alterations were

necessary in the universe. Yet all Enlightenment minds were non similar Voltaire. He was to a great extent

opposed by Rosseau, who distrusted blue bloods because he thought they betrayed decent

traditional values, and argued for democracy. When Arouet

expressed his idea that equality

was impossible, Rosseau countered by stating non merely was inequality unnatural, it was damaging

to the governmental system. Voltaire played his manus on mind, and Rosseau emphasized

emotion, non merely lending this subject to the Enlightenment, but to the romantic age subsequently on.

While Voltaire infinitely repeated the same smattering of Enlightenment impressions, Rosseau? s thoughts

sparked in wildly original fires. Though they would likely deny it, the two shared many

values. They both viewed tyranny as immorality, and rejected Orthodox Christianity. Both were

spiritual sceptics, their minimalist religion taking to the eventual transmutation of the English

system of faith. Many of their positions, shared or non, were used as a footing for the Gallic

Enlightenment.

France was non the lone clip traveling through a period of great alteration. Great Britain besides

developed a new strain of free-thinkers, such as John Lock and David Hume. They led the

king to holding an open-mind to alter, despite his powerful place as a sovereign. Religious society of friendss

and Unitarians broke through the dogmatic barriers, which delighted Voltaire when he found

himself their in expatriate. Since England? s revolution was already out of the manner, they were able to

continue swimmingly and bit by bit down the route to expatriate, with the power of nobility and

faith decreasing bit by bit.