The Age of Enlightenment and the Scientific Revolution

The Age of Enlightenment

The Age of Enlightenment was a cultural and intellectual movement that dominated the world of ideas in Europe during the 18th century. It was an era in intellectual, scientific, and cultural life where reason was regarded as the primary source of legitimacy and authority.

Philosophers of the Enlightenment

Key figures of the Enlightenment included:

• Voltaire
• Rousseau
• Montesquieu
• Diderot
• D'Alembert

These thinkers built upon the ideas of Descartes, Hobbes, and Locke.

Social Contract, National Sovereignty, and Separation of Powers

Rousseau argued that the social contract is an agreement individuals willingly enter to limit their own freedom for the benefit of society.

Montesquieu, inspired by the English parliamentary system, believed that national sovereignty could be represented by an assembly chosen by the citizens. He further proposed the separation of powers into executive, legislative, and judicial branches to prevent the concentration of power.

Encyclopedia and Education

Diderot and D'Alembert created the Encyclopedia, a groundbreaking compilation of knowledge encompassing various academic disciplines, including philosophy, mathematics, arts, religion, and more. This project involved the collaboration of numerous other philosophers.

Neoclassicism

Emerging in the late 18th and continuing into the 19th century, Neoclassicism emphasized harmony and balance, contrasting with the decorative excesses of Rococo and absolute monarchy.

Architecture

Neoclassical architecture saw the resurgence of classical elements such as pediments, capitals, and columns. A notable example is the Museo del Prado in Madrid.

Sculpture

Sculptures of this period often exhibited exquisite formal perfection, though sometimes perceived as cold and distant.

Painting

In painting, drawing and line became predominant, with a darker palette compared to the brighter colors of the Baroque period.

The Scientific Revolution

During the Scientific Revolution, scholars began to question established ideas, particularly the geocentric theory, which posited that the Earth was an immovable object at the center of the universe. Common sense observations, such as the changing position of the sun, challenged this view.

The Scientific Method

In the mid-16th century, scholars published works that challenged long-held beliefs and the authority of the Church. These challenges were based on the heliocentric theory, which placed the sun at the center of the universe. Astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, drawing on ancient Greek ideas, played a key role in developing and popularizing this theory.