Contributions Of The Philosophes Essay Research Paper

Contributions of the Philosophes

In the 18tenth century, European society saw the rise of a group of people called

philosophes. They brought new ideas and trends which made changes in the excising

monarchy. These new ideas of the philosophes caused many changes in economics,

politics, religion and “The science of man.” With their journalism and phiolisphy, they

change how some people were viewed in society. They brought new light into a old

system that in time changed, and brought us into the age of enlightenment.

The home land and birth of these ideas of the philosopes was France. This is

were new thoughts like enlightenment by reason, respected for humanity, and science

came from. This all started in the 17th centry with different men that were put into a

class by there believes and writings that were called philosophes. They were also

referred to as the party of humanity. The age was impressed by ideas that came from

Isaac Newton’s discovery of the universe gravitation. Many men thought that if

humanity could so unlock God’s very own laws then why could we not discover the laws

of nature in society. People started examining values again and released knowledge

came from experience. It was a up hill struggle against considerable odds to get the ideas

of enlightenment to be accepted by society, and from it caused several to be imprisoned

for there writings. But, in time many philosophes started taking control of established

intellectual academies and their ideas started getting increased publication by newspapers

and books. This got there ideas out to the people and excepted more.

Political ideas were changed greatly buy philosophes over time and this made life

promising for all of Europe. One writer, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, wrote many original

works of literature; they were Social Contract, Emile, and Confessions these writings had

a profound influence on political and educational theory and were impulses to the 19th

centry life. Rousseas writings inspired and had a major impacted on radicals that started

the French Revolution. Another man with the name of Bre’deet de Montesquieu

influence some to take a second look traditional political ideas with his book The Spirit

of the Laws. In this book he stated that no one system of government should suit all

countries. With this statement it made everyone with a little power to think about the

situation on how people were controlled. Theses new ideas coming out all over Europe

started up new economics, which brought a new term into society, economic liberalism,

which helped form this era.

Religious ideas were changing mainly because of the philosophes ideas of what

should be important in one’s life. Holbach thought that people were trying to reinvent

God’s laws to hold back certain pleasures that one should have that one should have the

right to experience. People started to take his thoughts to heart and started to live a little.

Philosophes did not renounce religion but felt society should change their ideas on

centering on the next life. Instead, the philosophes thought one should focus on the the

life they are living now and making it better. The idea basically means worldly

happiness was placed before religious salvation. This was a radical idea because the

church had the power over the people and the church felt it was being attacked. Time

caused humanitarian reform, the decline of the church, and the growth of a new modern

society.

The philosophies brought a huge impact to society in Europe in the means of

their new ideas in politics, economics, religion, and the science of man. The philosophes

where pioneers in hard times and by getting their ideas out in society and with their

writings helped life emerge from many centuries of darkness and ignorance