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Elliott Rogasik Dr.

Plaza AP European History November 21, 2011 New Worldviews in the 17th and 18th Centuries The 17th century scientific and philosophical discoveries fueled the enlightenment movement of the 18th century forging new worldviews that are still debated today. As the middle ages sank further and further into history, 17th century scientists and philosophes began to base their ideas on scientific experiment and research. For the first time, the Bible was not the sole support of hypotheses and theories, creating tensions between the Catholic Church and revolutionary thinkers. Using ancient Aristotelian ideas and Copernican work as a base for expansion, scientists made revolutionary progress in the study of the world, or natural philosophy. This progress was spread like never before thanks to a new growth in printing and a developing hunger for reading. The advancements of the 17th and 18th century spurred a philosophical revolution similar to the Renaissance know as the Enlightenment movement. While a few Europeans continued to support traditional institutions such as serfdom, nobles and philosophes alike began to challenge several aspects of society and human relations, ranging from equality and education to slavery and government. French philosophers proved to be some of the most influential thinkers of their time. Among these was Ren Descartes, a French philosopher who is most famous for his Cartesian dualism, a view that all of reality could be ultimately reduced to mind and matter. Furthermore, he firmly believed that God had created

our personalities and self, making us more or less all equal. He expresses his philosophical point of view in Document 1, in which he claims that although there are many points of view throughout the world, each is as valid as the other. Similarly, philosopher Voltaire expresses dislike of religious intolerance in Document 5. He asks, are we not all children of the same father [God] and seeks to contradict religious men who are intolerant of other religions to ultimately condemn religious intolerance. These philosophers did not stop at tolerance questions but spread to ideas such as government. Denis Diderot, another French enlightenment thinker, lived by the idea that the governments ultimate goal should be to serve the people. When he writes his famous Encyclopedia, his bias is introduced (Document 7) clearly. He states that not only should the government protect the people and strive for their good but also to protect their greatest good: liberty. France was not the only Western Europe country who witnessed immense change in thought and ideas. The Kingdom of Great Britain was a major center of enlightened thought during the 18th Century. After the unification of Scotland and England, great philosophers were able to spread and communicate ideas throughout a larger audience. John Locke, a famous Scottish philosopher, firmly believed that experience shaped who we became. To support this point of view, he claims in Document 2 that education is very often the deciding factor in whether or not one is good or evil, useful or not. The long lasting debate on gender roles and education was not exempt from enlightened European thought. Moreover, women continued to support their own education. Mary Wollstonecraft was a particularly strong believer

in this idea, and supports her bias by comparing women to flowers in soil too rich: once they have been looked at (by men), they are left to dwindle away (Document 4). Many came to either support of oppose Wollstonecrafts ideas. Physicians also took part in Great Britains Enlightenment, most notable Sir Isaac Newton (Document 8). He revolutionized science and created the law of universal gravitation, yet never came into conflict with the Christian Church as he considered himself chosen by God to understand Biblical Scripture. Although philosophers are considered the main thinkers during the Enlightenment movement, nobles and aristocrats also developed ideas during this time. As salons and a reading revolution in stored philosophical debate as the center of many nobles lives, points of views spread like wildfire. While many of these ideas were revolutionary and radical, some remained conservative. Catherine the Great of Russia, after gaining control of Russia by mounting a plot against her very own husband, was soaked in the bath of philosophy. She is known for being in contact with many philosophes and even reduced torture and sought to expand religious tolerance. In contrast, she was for an absolutist monarchy and strongly supported nobility. Her point of view is confirmed in Document 3, in which she describes the inferiority of serfs; the law will punish anyone attempting to make them revolt. Perhaps this harsh treatment of serfs was a motivation behind the Pugachev rebellion. More liberal views from nobles included that of the Baron DHolback, an atheist who criticized many aspects of the Christian Church. In Good Sense, (Document 6) he explains his point of view by stating that religion is in reality holding men away from true knowledge and progress since it causes them to live in

constant fear. Furthermore, he states that priests have reserved to themselves the right of thinking for [men], and directing his actions, highlighting his animosity towards them. Another rather liberal noble was Nicolas de Condorcet, a Marquis who condemned slavery and torture and supported gender equality. His point of view was that slavery itself was not only wrong but also a true crime, an inhumane way of taking someones free will (Document 10). How society treated crimes was also a strongly debated topic, notably for Caesare Beccaria. He opposed torture and the death penalty, claiming that these punishments were never justified. His ideas founded Penology, or the study of crime reduction. In Document 9, Beccaria questions the current punishment techniques and supports his idea that these techniques need to be more heavily reflected upon. The 17th and 18th centuries were times of great philosophical growth and new views on societys most commonly debated topics. From the radical ideas of some philosophes to more conservative ideas such as those of Catherine the Great, each literate individual held an opinion. The questions asked in this time period are so profound and complex that they are still asked today.

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