What the Hell was... the Enlightenment?

What the Hell was the Enlightenment

0:00

/556.96

Picture the Enlightenment as the ultimate intellectual party that kicked off in the late 17th century and raged on through the 18th century. It was a time when people decided to put down their quills and pick up their thinking caps, saying, “Hey, maybe we should use reason and science instead of just accepting what we’ve been told.”

The Enlightenment, often called the Age of Reason, was all about questioning authority—especially the monarchy and the church. Think of figures like Voltaire, who wielded his pen like a sword, taking jabs at established norms and championing freedom of speech. Then there’s John Locke, who argued that everyone has natural rights—life, liberty, and property—laying the groundwork for future democratic thought.

This era also saw the rise of scientific thinkers like Isaac Newton, who wasn’t just sitting around with apples falling on his head. He was formulating laws of motion and gravity, showing that the universe operates on principles that can be understood and explained. Suddenly, people were more interested in evidence and reason than in blind faith.

The Enlightenment also sparked discussions about governance and society. Philosophers like Rousseau pondered the social contract and the idea that governments should be based on the consent of the governed. It was a radical notion that would eventually inspire revolutions, including the American and French revolutions.

As the Enlightenment progressed, salons—gatherings of intellectuals—became the place to be, where ideas flowed as freely as the wine. It was a vibrant exchange of thoughts on art, politics, and science, pushing the boundaries of human understanding.

So, the Enlightenment was a transformative period that encouraged critical thinking, scientific inquiry, and the promotion of individual rights. It was a time when people looked to reason rather than tradition, setting the stage for modern democracy and paving the way for the world we know today. In short, it was humanity’s grand awakening—an intellectual revolution that said, “Let’s think for ourselves, shall we?”

For my articles in this series, visit or bookmark the following;