THE ENLIGHTENMENT

The Enlightenment is a European intellectual

movement of the 17th and 18th centuries
which placed reason as the central point of its
development. The power by which humans
understand the universe and improve their
own condition. It was also called the Age of
Reason.

The central doctrines were individual liberty

and religious tolerance, in opposition to an obsolete monarchy and the fixed
dogmas of the Roman Catholic church. It was marked by an emphasis on the
scientific method. A period of optimism, a sense that with science and
reason human society could improve.

-In philosophy, it produced the first modern secularized theories of

psychology and ethics. People were beginning to doubt the existence of God
who could predestine human beings to eternal damnation and empower a
tyrant for king. The product of a search for a natural-rational religion was
Deism. John Locke understood the human mind as something that was
formed through experience, creating the individual character. Rousseau
questioned the idea of the divine right of kings: he does not receive his
power from God but from the general will of the people, founding the
principles of democracy ( a society based on natural rights. Other
important philosophers were Voltaire, Diderot, Mostesquieu , Hume or
Descartes.

- In science, the successful use of reason to any question depended on its

correct application: the development of rational thought and
empiricism. Science developed thanks to people like Isaac Newton ( the
theory of gravity), Anton van Leeuwenhoek (the microscope) or Lavoisier,
who was the father of modern chemistry.
 - From the technological point of view , the
18th century was the beginning of the
industrial revolution. Modern
manufacturing began with steam engines
replacing animal labour. It also saw a
replacement of manual labour by new
inventions and machinery. This led to the
creation of factories and the migration of people from the country to cities to
work. New engines produced faster and more powerful means of transport
so travelling became really popular. Inventors like Jethro Tull (the seed
drill), James Watt(the steam engine) or Alessandro Volta (the battery) are
just three examples of great inventors of this period,

In Art, the Baroque is the style which dominated the 17th century. It
combines dramatic compositions, beautiful details and intensity: Murals and
paintings are in churches and cathedrals because with this style they could
promote Catholic doctrine and give the impression of power and authority.
It extended into architecture and sculpture and became more ornate and
embellished until Rococo and Neo-classicism replaced it in the 18th
century, portraits and scenes of daily are common at this time. Among other
artists , we can mention painters like Goya, Turner, Caravaggio, Rubens,
Rembrandt or Velázquez whereas Bernini is a representative sculpture.