Recent Changes

Voltaire was a brilliant enlightenment thinker because of his new radical idea, that the universe and what we believe in is not solely based on just one God. We didn’t need to establish one single tradition; we could use more or alternate ones. Voltaire believed in a universe that was based on reason and respect for nature. He believed we didn’t need to establish one single tradition; we could use alternate ones from different religions. Voltaire and the enlightenment era go hand-and-hand, because this era was one of change, Voltaire had the new idea to not follow every step that the church may want us too. He had the idea of new religions, and different ways of following them.
Cristina Valeri (Voltaire, Beccaria)
thinking in Europe.Europe. It moved
Cesare Beccaria was also influential on modern society. He did not agree with the inhumane treatment of criminals or capital punishment. He thought that the severe and cruel punishments often exercised on criminals would not reform them. Society could not teach a man that killing was wrong by killing him. Once again, Beccaria’s views are outline in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and even today, capital punishment has been abolished in many places. Prisoners now have the right to an education and a right to vote. They are treated if they have a serious medical condition. Prison is meant as a reform for criminals. These ideas and rights all stem from the Enlightenment thinker, Cesare Beccaria.
Olga Prokopchuk ( Marquise du Chatelet, Voltaire)
The Enlightenment was a time of change, "The Age of Reason." One of the Enlighlightenment figures that contributed to the change was Voltaire. Voltaire contributed to today's modern world in his beliefs of freedom of religion or practice. His belief was that everyone had a right to believe what they wanted to believe, without the government telling other wise. Before the Enlightenment, the Third Estates people did not know their rights as citizens. However, people of Voltaire's time were influenced by his writing. Educating people of their rights led to revolts against the government. People of today are accepting of different beliefs and races. Majority of people today in a modern society want equality. Without Voltaire's idea the equality of people would not be as strong.
Along with Voltaire came a revolutionary thinker, a woman whose name was Marquise du Châtelet. She would break the barriers of what was stereotypical of women in the 18th century. She became an extremely respected intellectual of her time. In the Enlightenment, writing and work from women was denied in public. Because this unsettled Châtelet, she used her connections to get her ideas out there. She became inspirational by changing society for women in the 18th century with her publishings. Marquise put alot of her time into her studies: reading, writing, publishing, and gaining respect in a male dominated world. Châtelet' s main belief and support was for equality, especially for women and female intellectuals. She felt that women should be acknowledged for their work, which she strongly expressed through her writings. Without Marquise du Châtelets' influence, women would not have the equality they have today. Women of the modern society would not be able to work along side men, speak freely of their ideas, ambitions, and goals and have the right to vote as an equal to men.
Katie Bartninkas ( Marquise du Chatelet, Baron de Montesquieu )
Marquise du Chatalet contributed to today’s modern world because during the 18th century, she broke away from the status quo and stereotypes of all women in that century. During that century most women were not educated and were mostly responsible for domestic work. Marquise du Chatalet went against that because she was a well respected, highly educated intellectual. This intellect gave her power in a society where men generally dominated. This changed society’s outlook on women and her way of thinking influenced many other women which lead to a demand for more rights and equality amongst men.
Baron de Montesquieu contributed to today’s modern world because he was a strong believer in the equality of all human beings and believed that no person is born with natural authority over their fellow man. Because of his strong belief in equality, he was opposed to slavery, capital punishment and torture. We see his beliefs reflected in today’s modern world through our laws on equal human rights.
Kayla Karl (Marquise du Chatlet, Beccaria)
I think the Marquise du Chatlet was a brilliant Enlightenment figure. She was a woman that was strong willed and very intelligent for the time period that she lived in. It seemed as though no one or nothing would stop her from pursuing further education in science and math. It was also the lack of love and charisma in her relationship with her husband that motivated her to pursue the education in these subjects. One wouldn’t think that those aspects would be motivational, but for her they were. She did not like that fact that women who were smart and intelligent were denied in the public eyes. In other words, they were not allowed to showcase their talents. This did not stop her, as she showcased her intelligence publicly and did not seem to care what other people thought. She has contributed to the modern world greatly because without her, women would not be able to show how smart they are, they would not be seen as equal to men. In her time she marked the turning point for women in society. Without her, women would not be able to speak their mind, have their voices heard publicly or fight for the certain freedoms that they want. Since she was successful, it made women today be successful. She reflected possibilities for women in a time where there weren’t a lot for them. She is a symbol for women today on how to be your own woman in a man’s world. Beccaria is important to the modern world because of his opposition to the death penalty and any kind of torture used to harm criminals. People today are fighting against the death penalty, because like Beccaria, they see it as unjust. He also made a justice system that is much like ours is today. His idea’s were also ones that no one had ever thought of before or would have dared to speak of much like today with the talk of bringing back the death penalty in Canada. Also, like people think today, killing someone that has done something wrong will not bring justice to the family or to the person that was harmed, he believes that it does no good. His idea’s and writings reflected freedom, which currently in today’s society, is what a lot of people are fighting for.

Jonathan Swift
Created By: Amanda Campanaro
"I never saw, heard, nor read, that the clergy were beloved in any nation where Christianity was the religion of the country. Nothing can render them popular, but some degree of persecution.``
{swift.jpg}

JonathanJonathan Swift
Created By: Katie Bartninkas and Amanda Campanaro degree of persecution.``persecution.``
{swift.jpg}
The Enlightenment was a period of time with numerous ideas suggesting reason rather than fact. With this, more and more intellectuals and philosophes came into the picture and began to re-question life as they knew it, and Jonathan Swift (1669-1745) was caught in the midst of it. Jonathan Swift was a very famous satirist in the 17th century who often picked fun at religion, society, and the government of his time and often rose a wide range of controversy.
- The Book took a satirical view of the state of European government and of petty differences between religion (such as their morally debased political culture, and a limitless lust for power) . It also took an inquiry into whether men are inherently corrupt or whether they become corrupted. This book reflects the new way of attempting to change the world through parodying the ways of their predecessors.
- Swift, aside from his fantastic satirical work, he was also involved in politics. This was mainly because it was very involved with the Anglican Church, of which he was a member. It was also during Swift's time where there was a constitutional revolution where the powers of monarchy suddenly became more limited than ever before, while parliament had the better advantage.
"A Modest Proposal",Proposal", which not
Swifts Big Idea :
Swift lived in a time where life was being questioned and the idea of "reason" was being brought up. He was an intellectual who attempted to improve society in Ireland through parody and satire. His works attacked the stereotypes and petty differences between religion and human concerns and succeeded in showing society how ridiculous their actions seemed when put in a satirical context.

Cesare Beccaria Created by David Taibi and Christian Curto
{beccaria-235x300.jpg}
" For a punishment to be just, it should consist of only such Gradations of intensity as suffice to deter men from committing crimes"
(1738-1794)
This age of enlightenment was a period of new and radical ideas, which were built upon- “enlightenment thinkers” or better known as intellectuals. These were philosophers with new ideas on changing authority systems using aesthetics and knowledge. Even the American and French revolution was influenced by the "enlightenment era"
Cesare Beccaria, was born in 1738 in Milan, Italy and was a Jesuit educated man. Beccaria profession was in Italian criminology and economy. In 1764, Beccaria became world famous, with the release of his book Dei delitti e delle pene (On Crimes and Punishment).In his book he stated that violent persecution is the wrong way about going after the accused. His main focus was on the death penalty and torture of convicted felons.This had a profound effect on many other "enlightened" rulers such as, Fredrick the Great of Prussia, and The Grand Duke Leopold of Tuscany whom expressed great admiration and developed a following to the ideologies of Beccaria. Beccaria died in his native Milan, in 1794.
"Crimes are more effectually prevented by the certainty than the severity of the punishment"
Beccaria's writings demonstrated that he was an intellectual that sought to find freedom, and justice in society. No matter what the general ideologies regarding criminal justice were, he stood by his word and believed that the death penalty, along with other severe inhumane punishments should be abolished. His ideologies reflected the enlightenment, because his ideas were new radical ways, which went against the general public.
Beccaria had alternate views on the way the criminal justice system treated the accused. He condemned torture and death penalty, believing that harsh punishment as such, could not reform an accused criminal. He was frequently found in Le Cafe, a coffeehouse where people gathered and discussed new ideas.
{images.jpg} "On Crimes and Punishment"

ADAM SMITH: "The Father of Modern Economics and Capitalism"
Created By: Cristina Valeri and Kayla Karl
{http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ9djh9roVUme1fMJl0ix7lSDnInlQnSeRyFLsjw1_oEpOGayx_BZ47pYs}
Adam Smith was born in 1723 in Kirkaldy, just North of Edinburgh, Scotland. His father died six months before he was even born and his mother, Margaret came from a family of substantial landowners. At the young age of fourteen, Smith began studying moral philosophy at Glasgow University. Here, he had his first contact with the Scottish Enlightenment and was influenced by a philosophy teacher, Francis Hutcheson. By 1740, he had graduated and was awarded a prestigious scholarship to Oxford University’s Balloil College. He began working with one of the sons of the Scottish Enlightenment, David Hume but eventually left Oxford because of bad nerves. At 28 years old, he became a professor of Logic at Glasgow University and began giving a number of lectures which attracted the public’s attention. Soon after, Smith was promoted to professor of Moral Philosopher. Although socially awkward, he was considered a great lecturer and it is evident from these lectures that he was greatly influenced by the Scottish Enlightenment. Theory of Moral Sentiments (1759), Smith’s first book attracted much attention from public intellectuals. This growing reputation and success was followed by his resign from Glasgow University to become the private tutor of Henry Scott. His most famous work, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations was published in 1776. In 1777, Smith was named lord rector of the University of Edinburgh and in 1778, commissioner of customs. He died July 17th, 1790.  {http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRQ5KucV11xy85nO8o3rUvrhTdfhFgnZlv-f2eEzSdIuwoUDVxcAA} An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (1776)
{http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSjfyT9FyQw9_OQpb_0dAmoOwkq_id2Ui19rgmzK0Y7zJvnXtPaGlYqYA}
{http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ8vnDuqn3kcmgrn0tPIaNVCF35wBEaQ_UX0UX7akBaqtVR68qscYKKQrc} The Theory of Moral Sentiments (1759)
Big Ideas
"The Invisible Hand"- Before Smith's reforms, the government would regulate the economy of the state (i.e. France had the system of mercantilism). He coined the term "the Invisible Hand" or "the Invisible Hand of the market" to describe the self-regulating nature of the economy. The Invisible Hand is the natural force that guides free market capitalism through competition. If everybody looks out for their own self interest it would ultimately benefit society, as the Invisible Hand guides the market so that it is mutually beneficial for all parties. Smith uses the example of the butcher to illustrate his ideas. A butcher cuts meat to provide for his family (his own self interest) but also provides meat for his customers so they can, in turn, feed their family (therefore, benefiting society). He writes in An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations:
"It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own self interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity but to their self-love, and never talk to them of our own necessities but of their advantages." (Chapter II: Of the Principle Which Gives Occasion to the Division of Labour, The Wealth of Nations, Primary Document).

The Wealth of Nations is like Smith's manifesto where he advances his theories about this Invisible Hand that runs over the free market. It was this book that gained him the most worldwide praise and attention and it is considered the first modern work of economics.
Role in Enlightenment
Smith is one of the main figures of the Scottish Enlightenment and was greatly influenced by this movement while getting his education. He was first exposed to it at Glasgow University and then by David Hume at Oxford. His ideas are reflective of this. Firstly, Smith was thought to be deist, meaning he believed in a supreme being without the organization of religion. This was a popular belief among other Enlightenment thinkers, most notably, Voltaire. His first work, Theory of Moral Sentiments, although is thought to be less influential than The Wealth of Nations was considered by Smith to be his superior work. It examines man's ability to make moral judgements and decisions and proposes a theory of sympathy towards others. This reflects the examining and questioning of everything during the Enlightenment that had been previously explained by religion, such as human nature. His Invisible Hand theory also moves away from the old way of doing things. Mercantilism was used to regulate the economy before Smith's theory of a self-regulating economy. The 'free market' seems to almost echo the desire for freedom from the government or the Church that was present during the Enlightenment.
{http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c0/Kirkcaldy_High_Street_Adam_Smith_Plaque.png/170px-Kirkcaldy_High_Street_Adam_Smith_Plaque.png} A commemorative plaque for Smith

Please answer all questions posed (by teacher) here. Begin your response with your full name, your philosopher's name, and the question(s) asked.
* * * * * * * * * * * *