World History
31 Oct. 2017 What Was the Main Point of the Enlightenment Philosophers?
The Enlightenment was known as a philosophical movement or the age of reason. It took place in the late 17th and 18th century. The main point of the enlightenment was to build a better and more equal world for all people. During the Enlightenment the Enlightenment Philosophers began to question matters such as government, education, and church teachings. John Locke was one of the greatest Philosophers of this time. He was born and raised in England. When he was born the form of government in England was an absolute monarch. Locke believed that all men were created equal and should be treated that way. He stated, “We must consider, what state all men are naturally in, and that is, a state of perfect freedom to order their actions, and dispose of their possessions and persons…” (Doc A) He’s saying that all men are in a perfect state of freedom to do as they want, which includes creating their own government and to get rid of the governments that are failing. “They have not only a right to get out of a failed government but to prevent it.” (Doc A) This further explains his point why people should be able to …show more content…
His real name was Francois-Marie Arouet, he adopted his pen name and became a prolific writer. He composed poems, novels, essays, plays, and over 20,000 letters. His main concern was the tolerance of religion. He believed people should be able to choose their own religion and do so freely. “If one religion only were allowed in England, the government would very possibly become unrestrained; if there were but two, the people would cut one another’s throats; but as there such a multitude, they all live happy and in peace.” (Doc B) What he meant by that is if everyone had the freedom to choose their own religion there would be no reason to fight over it. Another thing people fought about was the nation's