Thinkers of the Enlightenment Essay - 500 Words

Enlightenment The Enlightenment era was a new intellectual movement that stressed reason and thought and the power of individuals to solve problems. Even though different philosophers approached their goal differently, they achieved it none the less. They all approached their goal differently due to their different upbringings, their different backgrounds, and most importantly their different environments. A few among the many enlightened thinkers were Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Baron Do Montesquieu, and Jean Jacques Rousseau. While some of their idea’s are not used in modern society, they were all instrumental to the modern society we live in today. More then anyone else Baron do Montesquieu helped shape this country today. Baron†¦show more content†¦Without him we might have strayed to an absolute dictatorship the likes of which was suggested by Thomas Hobbes. Enlightenment thinkers challenged authority by speaking their mind to say the very least. They spoke their mind, instigated riots, and told people to change their own government. The fact that they preached their mind alone without regard of consequence is enough evidence that they challenged authority. Although many individuals were persecuted and intimidated into keeping quiet, they were not scarred by their respective governments and it is for that reason that we enjoy the fruits of their labor. Had they not endeavored so, and had they trembled in the face of adversity, we might be living in a country without any centralized government at all. Despite the fact that there were countless enlightenment thinkers, there are still many identifiable similarities between various of them. For example Thomas Hobbes and Jean Jacques Rousseau both believed in the need for a social contract, and in individualism. They both disagreed on how to go about these things. Thomas Hobbes described an absolute monarchy with limited rights. Jean Jacques Rousseau on the other hand described an democracy with unalienable rights. These two thinkers are a perfect example who thought of different ideals, practiced them in different ways, but nonetheless helped shape the world we live in today. Many peopleShow MoreRelatedThinkers Of The Enlightenment Essay711 Words   |  3 Pagesrevolution, the Enlightenment brought new ideas and different ways of thinking to the growing modern society. The enlightenment was an intellectual movement that spread throughout western civilization starting around 1650 CE. Who were the most influential thinkers of the Enlightenment? Well, many different individuals had a great impact on this movement. They contributed their ideas and spoke for their personal beliefs. 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