Enlightenment

Enlightenment
   A broad philosophical and cultural movement in Europe and North America (c. 1650-1789), the Enlightenment was characterised by an exaltation of universal human reason, autonomy and individualism, coupled with a distrust of tradition. Heralded by Francis Bacon's defence of scientific induction and Descartes's emphasis on individual reason and proof, the spirit of the movement is most memorably captured in Kant's famous essay 'What is Enlightenment?' in which he challenged all to 'Have courage to use your own reason!'. Many contemporary Christian philosophers consider, however, the Enlightenment to have had a largely negative influence on philosophy, given its distrust of Christian tradition and revelation. It is true that thinkers like John Locke attempted to defend Christianity according to Enlightenment strictures, but it is questionable whether these attempts did more harm or good, since their effect was to place Christian dogma, and even minimalist theism, in a defensive posture that left theologians increasingly preoccupied with prolegomenal questions of epistemology and method.
   Further reading: Cassirer 1955; Gay 1973; Israel 2001

Christian Philosophy . . 2015.

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