Thomas Hobbes And The Enlightenment - 878 Words

Can you imagine America with a monarchy? Can you imagine America with a king? All the power possessed by a single individual. This means that there will be no voting on who should be a leader, but the power goes from one to the other by inheritance. There will be a king fulfilling his role as a supreme leader by surrounding himself with people who will help him govern. This is hard to imagine, but Enlightenment thinkers expressed their opinions on different questions related to this. The Enlightenment was an era from 1600 to 1800. It was a break from strictness of the Catholic Church and a period of intelligence and business growth in Europe. It grew out of the Renaissance, especially humanists. During this era, there were philosophers who were known as Enlightenment thinkers. They thought about two questions. First, are people naturally good or evil? Second, what type of government is best? Thomas Hobbes, an Englishman born in 1588, is one of the Enlightenment thinkers. Hobbes wrote The Leviathan, published in 1651, observing the violence and behavior of people near the end of the English Civil War. He believed that monarchy is the best government. John Locke, another Enlightenment thinker, is an Englishman born in 1632. Locke wrote Two Treatises of Government, published in 11689,expressing his opinions on the â€Å"state of nature† and types of government. He, on the other hand, believed that democracy is the best government. While Thomas Hobbes believed that people areShow MoreRelatedHobbes, Marx, and Shah1503 Words   |  7 PagesThe cold, calculating, and logical brains of Enlightenment thinkers are much different from the emotional, fantasy-loving mind of Romantics. The Enlightenment was an 18th century movement in which rationality and science were placed as the number one things a human could have (Brians). The Enlightenment also propagated the idea equality and liberalism (Brians). Romanticism was an international movement which occurred aft er the Enlightenment during the late 1700s to the mid-1800s (Melani). ItRead MoreThe State Of Nature And Government1315 Words   |  6 Pagessubject that Hobbes and Locke both discuss in their book. The enlightenment period was a time of Learning, new inventions, new theories, and new government. Two prominent figures that became known during the enlightenment were Thomas Hobbes (1588-1674) and John Locke (1632-1704). These enlightenment authors represent two different side of the political spectrum; Locke represents the right wing with his book â€Å"Second Treatise on Civil Government† and â€Å"A Letter Concerning Toleration† and Hobbes representRead MoreThe Age Of Enlightenment In Frankenstein835 Words   |  4 Pagesworks of individuals during the Age of Enlightenment. Consequently, many of the ideas and theories that were expressed during the Age of Enlightenment are found throughout Shelley’s gothic novel. Furthermore, the Age of Enlightenment impacted the events depicted in Mary Shelley’s gothic novel, Frankenstein, such as man’s state of nature, as discussed by John Locke and Thomas Hobbes. Thomas Hobbes is considered one of the first major figures of the Enlightenment, and his major argument presented atRead MoreEssay On John Locke And Thomas Hobbes1076 Words   |  5 PagesLocke and Thomas Hobbes John Locke and Thomas Hobbes, two English Enlightenment philosophers, were both very influential politically and philosophically despite having almost opposite beliefs. While each individually influenced later documents and events such as the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution, they had an equally big impact in history. Today, everyone recognizes natural rights and the modern system of government uses social contracts every day. Thomas Hobbes was bornRead MoreThe Enlightenments Eras Most Notable Thinkers1684 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿The Enlightenment was a crucial period in modern history for the simple fact that it engendered some of the thoughts that are directly responsible for contemporary social, political, and religious institutions. This epoch, along with the Renaissance, helped to spur Western Civilization out of the Dark Ages and into contemporary conceptions of modernization. Not surprisingly, this time period is characterized by a number of different seditions and the revolutionary tenets that fueled them which wereRead MoreThe Enlightenment : The Ideas Of The Enlightenment720 Words   |  3 PagesDuring the Enlightenment era, both elite culture and popular culture had influences, philosophers dominating the ideals of the time period. In the eighteenth century, philosophers such as Adam Smith, Thomas Hobbes, and Jean Jacques Rousseau empowered people to think upon their natural rights and sugg ested new ideologies to follow and/or support. Additionally, because of the Enlightenment, the Realist and Neoclassical Art Movement spurred and gathered momentum as artists changed the art scene withRead MoreThe Enlightenment : The Greatest Impact Of The Enlightenment945 Words   |  4 Pageswould be very different if the Enlightenment did not occur in the 18th century. With people like Immanuel Kant, Baron de Montesquieu, and John Locke, the Enlightenment was one of the most revolutionary events to ever occur. For example, Immanuel Kant explored human experiences, Montesquieu believed that there should be three branches of government, and John Locke believed in the social contract and the ability to own life, liberty and property. The ideas of the Enlightenment drastically changed the worldRead MoreThe American Constitution And The Bill Of Rights1463 Words   |  6 PagesThe Enlightenment was an eighteenth century scholarly development moved in France that had enduring repercuss ions all through Europe and America. Addressing conventional teachings and qualities denoted the Enlightenment; there was a prominent propensity towards independence and accentuation on the thoughts of human advance. The American Constitution and the Bill of Rights are both results of the Enlightenment and thoughts of the philosophes, specifically John Locke. Thomas Hobbes and John LockeRead MoreEssay about European Enlightenment612 Words   |  3 PagesEnlightenment 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 deadlyRead MoreEssay on Thomas Hobbes and the Social Theory Contract597 Words   |  3 PagesPhilosopher, Thomas Hobbes and the Social Theory Contract for a clear understanding of the issues. The Social Contract Theory is the basis for the Declaration of Independence and the guiding theories for the Unite States Government as well as many other governments, such as the European Union, England and France, to name a few. The theory is about why people choose to give us some of their rights and powers in order to form a government. That government has a series of purposes. Thomas Hobbes theorized