Enlightenment Flashcards
Thomas Hobbes
An english political thinker who believe in the social contract but believed that one a ruler was picked the people could not overthrow the rule. Believed that humans are selfish and cruel and need a government to stay in check
Enlightenment
A new intellectual movement that stressed reason and thought and the power of individuals to solve problems
Voltaire
An influential philosophe who fought for tolerance , reason, freedom of religious belief and freedom of speech. “I do not agree with a word you say but i defend to the death your right to say it” (he also wrote Candide, the book joking about all sacred crows of the era)
Rousseau
A philosophe who committed him self to individual freedom, believed in direct democracy and that government should be freely formed for the people and guided by the general will of society
Mary wollstonecraft
Fought for womens rights and education, wrote “a vindication of the rights of women” (1792) an early feminist
Denis Diderot
Philosophe who created the first encyclopedia
Rococo
Frilly dainty whimsical type of art
Social Contract
An agreement by which people created a government (according to hobbes)
Leviathan
Nook by Hobbes written in 1651 that expressed his views on the government and human nature
Montesquieu
Influential french writer who studied political liberty , created the idea of checks and balances- the division of power within the government. Wrote “the spirit of laws”
The spirit of laws
Book written by Montesquieu in 1748 , proposing separation of power within the government to keep individuals or groups from having total power.
Cesare Beccaria
Italian philosophe who studied the justice system and believed the law was for social order and not for avenging crimes, wanted an end to torture and capital punishment
Salon
Social gatherings where philosophes , writers, artists, and scientists (other intellectuals ) met to discuss ideas
Neoclassical
“New classical” a simple elegant style that borrowed ideas from classical greek and roman art
John Locke
A philosophe with positive views on human nature , believed all people were born free with natural rights ; life , liberty and property. John locke believed if a ruler did not grant his people these three rights then the people had the right to overthrow
