TheAgeofReason 1687 1789

TheAgeofReason 1687 1789

FORERUNNERS
Galileo Bacon Descartes Hobbes

TheEnlightenment TheNeoclassicAge AugustanAge

TheAgeofReasonisdatedfrom1687,when IssacNewtonpublishedhisworkongravity, PrincipiaMathematica

TheAgeofReason1687 1789

TheAgeofReason The Enlightenment1687 1789

ImmanuelKant:Enlightenmentismansleavinghis selfcausedimmaturity.Immaturityistheincapacity touseonesintelligencewithouttheguidanceof another.Suchimmaturityisselfcausedifitisnot causedbylackofintelligence,butbylackof determinationandcouragetouseonesintelligence withoutbeingguidedbyanother.SapereAude! [Daretoknow!]Havethecouragetouseyourown intelligence!isthereforethemottoofthe enlightenment.

TheAgeofReason 1687 1789 Throughlazinessandcowardicealargepartof mankind,evenafternaturehasfreedthemfromalien guidance,gladly remainimmature....Itisso comfortabletobeaminor!IfIhaveabookwhich providesmeaningforme,apastorwhohasconscience forme,adoctorwhowilljudgemydietformeandsoon, forme adoctorwhowilljudgemydietformeandsoon thenIdonotneedtoexertmyself....Thereforethereare onlyafewwhohavepursuedafirmpathandhave succeededinescapingfromimmaturitybytheirown cultivationofthemind.(ImmanuelKant)

TheAgeofReason: IdentifyingCharacteristics
Art&Literature OrderandHarmony AutonomyofReason,Progress,Perfectibility AssaultsonAuthority Religion Deism Humankind Therejectionofthedoctrineof originalsin.Weshouldactwithpoliteness, decency,anddecorum. Politicaltheory governmentsderivefrom peopleinasocialcontract Naturereformedandorganizedisbest

BaroqueArtandArchitecture
C.1600c.1770 Characteristics
Highlyornamental Curvedlines Dramaticlightingandcolor Chiaroscurodramaticcontrastsoflightanddark Exaggeratedgestures Theatricality

Baroque Rubens

Self P t it S lf Portrait

Baroque Rembrandt

Baroque Vermeer

Milkmaid Night-watch

BaroqueBernini
Gianlorenzo Bernini The Ecstacy of St. Theresa Theatricality of Baroque

BaroqueCaravaggio
Caravaggio The Sacrifice of Issac Action Extreme Chiaroscuro Tenebrism (Dark Manner

Baglione:SacredLoveVersusProfane Love:ChiaroscuroandTheatricality

Baroque Church--Vienna

Vien na

Prague: Hussite church

Baroque in Vienna: Theatricality

Baroque in Vienna: Theatricality

Baroque in Vienna: q Theatricality

Baroque in Vienna: Theatricality

TheAgeofReason:OrderandHarmony

Paris Opera Neo-baroque

Davids Oath of the Horatii

TheAgeofReasoninLiterature:Order andHarmony
The Heroic Couplet
Vice is a monster of so frightful mien, As to be hated, needs but to be seen; Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face, We first endure, then pity, then embrace. Alexander Pope Dictionary of the English Language, by Samuel Johnson (1755).brought order to spelling and definitions, the standard for 150 years. Samuel Richardson: Pamela (1740) First novel. The novel aims at moral instruction. Literature is often pedantic.

Diderots Encyclopedie (28 volumes)

TheAgeofReason:PROGRESS
Forthefirsttime,weseeanoptimistic viewthathumanscanusereasonto createanewandbetter worldthanhad existedbefore.Inthefieldofsciencein particular,therewasaclearbreakfrom thepasttraditionsandabeliefthatthe bestwasyettocome,thatscientific progresswaspossible.
More ideas and information from secular sources

ANewReligiousPerspective:Deism
Deismwasanatural religion.Itsadherentswere convincedthatNaturegave evidencethattheremustbe aCreatorGod.However, theywereskepticalthatit couldbeprovedthatChrist wastheSonofGodorthat ourspiritswouldcontinue beyondthegrave.Deists triedtohumanizereligion.

God with a compass creating the world. (William Blake)

IbelieveinoneGod,andnomore;andIhopefor happinessbeyondthislife.Ibelieveintheequalityofman; andIbelievethatreligiousdutiesconsistindoingjustice, lovingmercy,andendeavoringtomakeourfellow creatureshappy....Idonotbelieveinthecreedprofessed bytheJewishChuch,bytheRomanChurch,...bythe ProtestantChurch,norbyanychurchthatIknowof.My ownmindismyownchurch....Thomas[oneofJesus ownmindismyownchurch Thomas[oneofJesus disciples]didnotbelievetheresurrection,andastheysay, wouldnotbelievewithouthavingocularandmanual demonstrationhimself.SoneitherwillI, andthereasonis equallyasgoodforme,andforeveryotherperson,asfor Thomas.(ThomasPaine,TheAgeofReason,17945)

Deism ThomasJefferson

DeismThomasJefferson
Ihaverecentlybeenexaminingalltheknown superstitionsoftheworld,anddonotfindinour particularsuperstition[Christianity]one redeemingfeature.Theyareallalike,founded uponfablesandmythologies.Millionsofinnocent men,womenandchildren,sincetheintroduction d hild i th i t d ti ofChristianity,havebeenburnt,tortured,fined andimprisoned.Whathasbeentheeffectofthis coercion?Tomakeonehalftheworldfoolsand theotherhalfhypocrites;tosupportrogueryand errorallovertheearth.

Thedaywillcomewhenthe mysticalgenerationofJesus,by theSupremeBeingashisfather, inthewombofavirginwillbe classedwiththefableofthe generationofMinervainthe brainofJupiter.

DeismThomasJefferson
Theestablishmentoftheinnocentandgenuine characterofthisbenevolentmoralist[Jesus],and therescuingitfromtheimputationofimposture, whichhasresultedfromartificialsystems,* invented byultraChristiansects,unauthorizedbyasingle wordeverutteredbyhim,isamostddesirable object* e.g. Th i bj t * TheimmaculateconceptionofJesus, l t ti fJ hisdeification,thecreationoftheworldbyhim,his miraculouspowers,hisresurrectionandvisible ascension,hiscorporealpresenceintheEucharist, theTrinity;originalsin,atonement,regeneration, election,ordersofHierarchy,&c.(Jefferson,Thomas.Letter
toWilliamShort,31Oct.1819)

Jefferson,theInfidel
DuringJeffersonscampaignforthe presidency,theGazetteoftheUnited States publishedthefollowing:...the onlyquestiontobeaskedbyevery American,layinghishandonhisheart,is l h h d h h shallIcontinueinallegiancetoGODAND ARELIGIOUSPRESIDENT[JohnAdams]; orimpiouslydeclareforJEFFERSONAND NOGOD!!!

DEISM

JOHNADAMS

DEISM

JOHNADAMS

ThedoctrineofthedivinityofJesusis madeacoverforabsurdity. TheGovernmentoftheUnitedStates isnotinanysensefoundeduponthe i ti f d d th Christianreligion.

TheUnitedStatesofAmericamarksthefirst exampleofgovernmentserectedonthesimple principlesofnature.ThearchitectsofAmerican governmentneverhadinterviewswiththegods orwereinanydegreeundertheinspirationof y g p Heavenmorethanthoseatworkuponshipsor houses.[Government]iscontrivedmerelybythe useofreasonandthesenses....[The government]wasfoundedonthenatural authorityofthepeoplealone,withoutapretense ofmiracleormystery.

Madison:ReligionandGovernment
Whatinfluence,infact,haveecclesiastical establishmentshadonsociety?Insomeinstances theyhavebeenseentoerectaspiritualtyrannyon theruinsofthecivilauthority;onmanyinstances theyhavebeenseenupholdingthethronesof politicaltyranny;innoinstancehavetheybeenthe guardiansofthelibertiesofthepeople.Rulerswho wishtosubvertthepubliclibertymayhavefound anestablished*clergyconvenientauxiliaries.Ajust government,institutedtosecureandperpetuateit, needsthemnot.(*usedinthesamesenseasthe1st
amendment,i.e.,official,governmentrecognizedand perhapssupportedreligion)

DEISMBenjaminFranklin
Iwasscarcefifteen,when,...Ibegantodoubt ofRevelationitself.SomebooksagainstDeism fellintomyhand;...Theywroughtaneffecton mequitecontrarytowhatwasintendedby them;fortheargumentsoftheDeists,which ; g , werequotedtoberefuted,appearedtome strongerthantherefutations;inshort,Isoon becameathoroughDeist.(Franklin, Autobiography,65)

UnitedStatesPrizedReligious Tolerance

Deism

Voltaire

"They all attributed the peaceful dominion of religion in their country mainly to the separation of church and state. I do not hesitate to affirm that d i th t during my stay in America I did t i A i not meet a single individual, of the clergy or the laity, who was not of the same opinion on this point"
.-Alexis 1835

de Tocqueville, Democracy in America,

IsJesustheWord?IfHebetheWord,didHeemanate fromGod,isHecoeternalandconsubstantialwithHim, orisHeofasimilarsubstance....IstheHolyGhost made?orbegotten?orproduced?...Assuredly,I understandnothingofthis;noonehaseverunderstood anyofit,andthatiswhywehaveslaughteredone another.TheChristianstricked,caviled,hated,and excommunicatedoneanother,forsomeofthese excommunicatedoneanother forsomeofthese dogmasinaccessibletohumanintellect....Themost detestableexampleoffanaticismisthatexhibitedonthe nightofSt.Bartholomew[1572],whenthepeopleof Parisrushedfromhousetohousetostab,slaughter, throwoutofthewindowandtearinpiecestheirfellow citizenswhodidnotgotomass[Protestants].(Voltaire, TreatiseonTolerance,1763)

HumanWorth:TheRejectionofthe
DoctrineofOriginalSin
ChristianityhadlongheldthatfromAdam, humanshadinheritedafallenstateof corruptibilityandaninclinationtodoevil. CatholicismandearlyReformersbothheld thisdoctrine. DuringtheAgeofReason,thisdoctrinewas beingchallengedandrejectedbymany.The viewofhumanpossibilitybecamemore optimistic(andalittlesnobbish).

Medieval ViewofGodsPower onEarth

WiththeCatholicChurchholdingpervasivepower, thechurchauthoritieshadallreligiousandsecular power.DrJohnsondescribesCardinalBellarmines position:thePopeisinvestedwithallthe authorityonheavenandearth.Thatallprinces arehisvassals,andthathemayannultheirlawsat hispleasure.Thathemaydeposekingsifthe goodoftheChurchrequiresit....ThatthePopeis Goduponearth.
(GeorgiodeSantillana)

Renaissance viewoftheDivineRightof Kings

[Renaissanceview]Becausetherearenone onearth,afterGod,greaterthansovereign princes,whomGodestablishesasHis lieutenantstocommandtherestofmankind, ...we[must]respectandreveretheirmajesty inalldueobedience,speakandthinkofthem i lld b di k dthi k fth withallduehonour.Hewhocontemnshis sovereignprince,contemnsGodwhoseimage heis....Iftheprincecanonlymakelawwith theconsent...ofaninferior,whetheritbea councilofmagnatesorthepeople,itisnothe whoissovereign(Bodin,1576)

NewView:Rational,EducatedPeople holdthePower:SocialContract Theory

(Newideas)allmenarecreatedequal, thattheyareendowedbytheirCreator withcertainunalienableRights,that amongtheseareLife,Liberty,andthe amongtheseareLife Libert andthe pursuitofHappiness.Thattosecurethese rights,Governmentsareinstituted amongMen,derivingtheirjustpowers fromtheconsentoftheGoverned. (Decl.ofInd.,1776)