A Greek named Aristotle invented the scientific method in 535 B.C.

Scientists worked for centuries to discover these physical laws

Galilieo invented the telescope and studied astronomy

Descarte created a philosophy, mind-body dualism, based on his observations of an animal

eye. “I think therefore I am”

Copernicus, the father of modern astronomy, studied the celestial bodies and developed a helio-centric model of our

solar system.

During the Scientific Revolution mankind learned that physical laws control the Universe

Issac Newton’s theories are still used in modern physics.

THEPHILOSOPHE

Squestioned existing ideas about authority

believed people were individuals

believed in educating all people

most rejected the ideas of established religion

Magna Carta (1215) King John

Magna Carta

William and Mary Parliament English Bill of Rights

The Glorious Revolution 1688 Evolution of Democracy in England

World History

Political PhilosophersPhilosophy of Thomas Hobbes

1588 - 1679 The Philosopher for the Monarchy “ I prefer the evil of absolute power to the greater evil of a society which has no authority”

Politics was a science…basic natural laws of

human behavior similar to the physical world

Feared Chaos & Anarchy

Invented the Theory of Social Contract..but not “Divine Right”

State of Nature - Total Freedom of mankind…meaning? (man is evil and motivated by greed , selfishness, self serving. Man will do anything to acquire shelter, wealth, food, power, sex, fame, property…etc. )

People emerge from the State of Nature (anarchy) with a social contract with government. This contract may not be broken …why not?

Supported Absolute Monarchy….why?

World History

Philosophy of John Locke 1632 - 1704

The Philosopher for Modern Democracy

In favor after the Glorious Revolution

Philosophy :

- All Men are created equal. (renounced Divine Right of Kings)

- Man originally exists in a state of nature.

- In state of nature man is born good, independent, and equal but needs some control. Therefore, the social contract needs to be formed and government was invented.

- People come from the state of nature with a contract in order to control man.

- God granted everyone certain “natural unalienable rights”. Those rights are life, liberty, and the property.

- The government’s sole purpose is to protect life, liberty, and property. Men give up some of their freedom and agree to follow governments laws in order to live in society.

- If government were to violate any of these rights, then the people have the right to break the social contract and revolt.

World History

Political Philosophers Philosophy of Voltaire

( real name: Francois-Marie Arolet)

1694-1778

Strongly believed in Freedom of Religion, Freedom of the Press and Free Speech

“I disapprove of what you say but will defend to the death your right to say it”

Relate the importance of this philosophy to the success of a democracy.

Voltaire’s philosophy has been included in the American Bill of Rights

Philosophy of Jean-Jacques Rousseau 1712 - 1778

Also believed in the Social Contract. Believed that Man was basically good but was corrupted by society.

Believed arts and sciences corrupted natural goodness

Renounced the Divine Right of Kings

General Will”: members of society agree to be governed by the general will (which represents what is best for society as a whole)

civilized people noble savages

unhappy in harmony with natureinsecure happierselfish less selfish and greedy

--accepted intuition rather than scientific evidence---let children enjoy youth -

study later when they want to--society formed by social contract with others in the community rather than with the government. Therefore the power to rule must belong to the people.

MAN IS BORN FREE AND EVERYWHERE HE IS IN CHAINS

World History

Political Philosophers

Philosophy of Baron de Montesquieu 1689 - 1775

Major theory - that government should be divided into three separate branches, each coming to power in a separate manner and each having a check on the power of the other two. Relate to American Government.

3 Branches of GovernmentLegislative, Judicial & Executive

The Legislative branch makes the laws

The Executive has the power to enforce the laws

The Judicial branch interprets the laws & judges when laws are broken.

1743-1826 Thomas Jefferson•Author of the Declaration of Independence

• Influenced by the writings of John Locke

• Changed the Locke’s phrase of “life, liberty and property to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”.

• Believed all men were created equal.

• Became the 3rd President of the United States.

• Famous quote “ the tree of liberty should occasionally be watered with the blood of the martyrs”

Cesare Beccaria 1738-1794

•Wrote: Crimes and Punishment

•Philosophy: The crime should fit the punishment

•Dei delitti e delle pene. English: An essay on crimes and punishments. Written by the Marquis Beccaria, of Milan. With a

commentary attributed to Monsieur de Voltaire.

World History

Political Philosophers

Contemporary political philosophers distinguish between two principle theories of justifying punishment. First, the retributive approach maintains that punishment should be equal to the harm done, either literally an eye for an eye, or more figuratively which allows for alternative forms of compensation. The retributive approach tends to be retaliatory and vengeance-oriented. The second approach is utilitarian which maintains that punishment should increase the total amount of happiness in the world. This often involves punishment as a means of reforming the criminal, incapacitating him from repeating his crime, and deterring others. Beccaria clearly takes a utilitarian stance. For Beccaria, the purpose of punishment is to create a better society, not revenge. Punishment serves to deter others from committing crimes, and to prevent the criminal from repeating his crime.

Mary Wollstonecraft 1759-1797 •Philosophy: Rights of Women

•English author and Feminist

A Vindication of the Rights of WomenArgued that the Enlightenment was based on reason and since women have reason, they too are entitled to natural rights.

Wollstonecraft proposed the deliberate expansion of Enlightenment ideals to include education for women, whose rational natures are no less capable of intellectual achievement than are those of men.

Excessive concern for romantic love and physical desirability, she believed, are not the natural conditions of female existence but rather the socially-imposed means by which male domination enslaves them

Adam Smith 1723-1790

* wrote: Wealth of Nations

*Philosophy: Laissez-Faire

“let people do what they want”

* Natural Laws of Economics

* Supply and demand

* Competition

“let business do as it pleases”

“government keep out”

* English Economist

Denis Diderot 1713-1784

•Published: Encyclopedia, or Classification Dictionary of the Sciences

* Attacked superstition

* Called for political changes

* Spread Enlightenment Ideas

French philosopher, and man of letters, the chief editor of the L'Encyclopédie, one of the principal literary monuments of the Age of Enlightenment. The work took 26 years of Diderot's life. In seventeen volumes of text and eleven of illustrations, it presented the achievements of human learning in a single work. Besides offering a summary of information on all theoretical knowledge, it also challenged the authority of the Catholic Church.