European Enlightenment Essay -- essays research papers

Enlightenment The enlightenment was the growth of thought of European thinkers in the 1600’s. The spread of enlightenment was a result of the Scientific Revolution during the 1500’s and 1600’s. It resulted as a need to use reason to distribute human laws. It also came about from a need to solve social, political and economic problems. Joseph Priestley and Antoine Lavoisier built the framework for modern chemistry during the enlightenment. Edward Jenner built a vaccine against smallpox, a deadly disease. These sort of scientific successes prompted European thinkers to use reason to find laws to govern the physical world, which they called natural laws. Natural laws are laws that govern human nature. Two prominent â€Å"thinkers† during the enlightemnet were Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. Thomas Hobbes wrote a book about his ideas called the Leviathan. In his book he argued that people were naturally cruel, greedy and selfish. He thought that if people were not strictly controlled, they would fight, rob and oppress one another. He believed society must be ruled by an Absolute Monarch.... European Enlightenment Essay -- essays research papers Enlightenment The enlightenment was the growth of thought of European thinkers in the 1600’s. The spread of enlightenment was a result of the Scientific Revolution during the 1500’s and 1600’s. It resulted as a need to use reason to distribute human laws. It also came about from a need to solve social, political and economic problems. Joseph Priestley and Antoine Lavoisier built the framework for modern chemistry during the enlightenment. Edward Jenner built a vaccine against smallpox, a deadly disease. These sort of scientific successes prompted European thinkers to use reason to find laws to govern the physical world, which they called natural laws. Natural laws are laws that govern human nature. Two prominent â€Å"thinkers† during the enlightemnet were Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. Thomas Hobbes wrote a book about his ideas called the Leviathan. In his book he argued that people were naturally cruel, greedy and selfish. He thought that if people were not strictly controlled, they would fight, rob and oppress one another. He believed society must be ruled by an Absolute Monarch....