The reason of the Enlightenment (1) 17 ~ 18 The capitalist development in western Europe, the strength of the bourgeoisie is growing day by day, and feudal autocracy has become an obstacle to its development. The bourgeoisie, for its own benefit, urgently demands the end of the old system, so it must first be prepared for the revolution.
(2) The rapid development of natural science has liberated people's minds and laid a foundation for ideological emancipation. The rapid development and progress of science and technology in this period provided people with new ideological weapons, and made people realize that the development of human society is as regular as nature, and human society is constantly progressing. For example, Descartes thinks that the world can be understood through mathematical reasoning; Bacon pointed out that in order to understand the phenomena in the world, induction from special to general and from concrete to abstract can be adopted; Newton's three laws and the law of universal gravitation show that the natural laws of nature itself control the material world. These scientific achievements made enlightenment thinkers think that human society also has certain natural laws, that is, to get rid of&; Ldquo, god. Control and self-development. Enlightenment thinkers strive to discover the eternal laws governing human beings and society, that is, to explore the laws that promote the continuous progress of human society itself. As a result, a cultural movement adapted to the requirements of bourgeois politics rose.
(3) This movement is an ideological and cultural movement developed on the basis of humanism advocated by the European Renaissance in14 ~16th century. Its content and influence greatly exceeded the Renaissance, and it was the second ideological emancipation movement in Europe, known as the Enlightenment in history.
The course and historical development of the Enlightenment.
The Enlightenment took place in Europe in the18th century, initially in Britain. Then it spread to France, Germany and Russia, in addition, the Netherlands, Belgium and other countries also spread. France is the center of the Enlightenment. Compared with other countries, the Enlightenment in France is the most powerful, combative and far-reaching, and it can be called a model of the Enlightenment in Western Europe. The leader of the French Enlightenment was Voltaire. His thoughts had a great influence on Europe in the18th century, so later people once said:&; Ldquo18th century is Voltaire's century. & amprdquo
Enlightenment thinkers Voltaire and Rousseau both had the idea of unifying Europe, and the event that this idea was finally realized was the entry into force of the Mayo Treaty 1993 and the establishment of the European Union.
French movement
The Declaration of Human Rights 1, against authority (French philosophers were attracted by Newton's cosmic physics and inspired by Locke's political philosophy. Inspired by Descartes, everyone must find the answer to the question by himself. Part of the slogan was aimed at priests, kings and nobles at that time. )
2. Rationalism (1789 French Revolution. Emerging natural science proves that nature is dominated by acceptability. Most philosophers in the enlightenment period, like ancient humanists such as Socrates and Stoicism, firmly believed in human rationality. Therefore, the French Enlightenment period was called &; The age of ldquo rationality &; rdquo。 Philosophers believe that they have the responsibility to lay the foundation for morality, religion and ethics according to the unchangeable reason of human beings. )
3. The Enlightenment (&; Ldquo Kay & rdquo sent it to the masses &; Only when ldquo Meng rdquo is ignorant can we build a better society. Because of material and superstition, people live a poor and oppressed life. The school system began in the Middle Ages, while pedagogy began in the Enlightenment. )
4, cultural optimism (irrational behavior and ignorant practices will &; The replacement of human nature in ldquo civilization rdquo. All the developments are not good. Philosophers in the Enlightenment believed that once rationality was developed and knowledge was popularized, human nature would make great progress. )
5. Return to nature (Suggestions &; Ldquo returns to nature &; Rdquo slogan Man's reason is a gift from nature, not religion or&; The product of ldquo civilization rdquo. Rousseau put forward &; Ldquo people should return to nature &; Rdquo I think adults should let their children stay in their innocence &; Ldquo is natural. In this state. )
6, natural religion (people think that religion must be naturalized, and religion must also be associated with &; Ldquo is natural. Rational and harmonious coexistence. At that time, many people artificially established the so-called &; Ldquo Natural Religion &; Rdquo and struggle. At that time, many materialists didn't believe in God and called themselves atheists, but most philosophers in the Enlightenment thought it was irrational to deny the existence of God, because the world was too organized to exist without God. Newton held this view. Similarly, these philosophers in the Enlightenment believed that it was reasonable to believe that the soul was immortal. Like Descartes, they believe that whether a person has an immortal soul is not a question of faith, but a question of rationality. )
7. Human Rights (1789, the French National Assembly adopted the Declaration of Human Rights and Civil Rights, which established the&; Ldquo individual rights are inviolable &; The principle of rdquo. 1787 At noon, condorcet, a philosopher of the Enlightenment, published a paper on women's rights. He believes that women have the same rights as men. Lsquo natural rights &; rsquo。 During the French Revolution in 1789, women actively rebelled against the old feudal system. For example, it was some women who led the demonstration and forced the king to leave Versailles. Later, women's groups were established in Paris. In addition to demanding the same right of participation as men, they also demanded that the marriage law be amended to improve women's social status. But they didn't get these rights. )
The Historical Influence of the Enlightenment