What was the Enlightenment?

The Enlightenment, sometimes referred to as the Age of Enlightenment, was an eighteenth-century intellectual and philosophical movement that emphasized reason and the scientific method as the primary source of knowledge and philosophy. Enlightenment thinkers sought to overturn traditional ideas and social hierarchies and develop new ways of looking at the world. Major themes of the Enlightenment included religious skepticism, the advancement of science, the philosophical pursuit of individual freedom, and the concept of liberty as an inherent human right. Writers, thinkers, and scientists during the Enlightenment espoused ideas in government, economics, and philosophy that have had lasting impact on world history.

The Enlightenment was a period of philosophical, scientific, and cultural advancement, primarily in Europe, which spanned from the early 17th century through to the late 18th century. It was centered around the idea of Reason and Enlightenment—the belief that human beings, through the use of reason and knowledge, could better themselves and the world. During this period, many new concepts, discoveries, and social theories were created and discussed by prominent intellectuals, who sought to understand the ways in which society and government worked, as well as explore individual rights, freedom of thought, and the power of progress. Among the most influential ideas to emerge from the Enlightenment were the development of empiricism and the concept of natural rights—the belief that everyone has inherent human rights regardless of their beliefs, gender, race, or nationality.

A time when people began discussing new ideas. 1600's and 1700's, thought the world was rational.