What was the central idea of the Enlightenment? 🔊
The central idea of the Enlightenment is the emphasis on reason, individualism, and skepticism of traditional authority. Emerging in the 17th and 18th centuries, this intellectual movement sought to apply rational thought to various fields, including science, philosophy, politics, and ethics. Enlightenment thinkers, such as John Locke, Voltaire, and Immanuel Kant, championed ideas about human rights, liberty, and democracy, advocating for reforms based on logical reasoning rather than inherited privilege or dogma. This shift in thought significantly influenced the establishment of modern democracies and the values of the American and French Revolutions.
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