Assignment 2 (ENG-2206): The Enlightenment in Europe and the Americas

1. General
- When did the Enlightenment begin?
The Enlightenment began in the late 17th century and lasted throughout the following
century.
- How did the people in the Enlightenment think of human, God, and society?
+ Human's inner life is chaos. It is commonly believed that human nature is the same in all
times and places: All people hope and fear, envy and desire, and share the same ability to
reason. All suffer loss, and all face death.
+ God is like a watchmaker who sets the timepiece in motion. God does not meddle in the
affairs of nature or people.
+ The idea of civil society played a huge role in the Enlightenment. Society was run through
clear codes of conduct and moral standards. However, these standards were not always
enforced obey as declared. During this period, men had many privileges: education, serving
in government or diplomacy, and exercising political and economic power. However, women
are also gradually fighting for their rights, especially civil rights, which have existed for a
long time, at least the right to think and knowledge.
- Write down some crucial keywords which describe the main characteristics of the
Enlightenment.
The application and celebration of reason, the power by which humans understand the
cosmos and improve their own position, were central to Enlightenment ideology. Knowledge,
freedom, and happiness were thought to be the ideals of rational humanity.
2. René Descartes’ The Discourse on Method
- Summarize the main methods Descartes believes that he, and the people in general,
should do in solving problems.
Descartes believes 4 sufficient:
+ Never accept anything as true without clearly realizing it, avoid conclusions and prejudices,
do not include your opinion in anything.
+ Divide each of the difficulties into as many portions as were possible, and as should be
required for its better solution.
+ Control your thinking in order, starting with the simplest objects and things that are easiest
to understand to the most complex knowledge, taking it step by step.
+ Make everywhere enumerations so complete, and surveys so wide.
-What does Descartes discuss when he says, “I think, therefore I am”?
+Descartes refuted as erroneous all the reasons which he have before taken as proof, for all the
thoughts which we have while awake may also come to us when we sleep, even though none
of them is the truth
+ Then Descartes attentively considered what he was, and saw that he could pretend that he
had no body, no world, or wherever he was, but nevertheless, he could not pretend that he did
not exist. He was a substance whose essence or nature is only to think, and which, in order to
be, has no need of any place, and depends on no material thing.
+After that, Descartes considered generally what is requisite to make a proposition true and
certainly, but he cannot reflect the fact that he doubted, except that he see very clearly that in
order to think it is necessary to exist.
+ To conclude, he believed that if things are true then they depend on his nature, if they are not
true then it is because he is not yet perfect. Everything is based on itself and it cannot be
reflected that it does not exist.
3. Denis Diderot and Jean le Rond D’Alembert: The Encyclopédie
- How do beasts differ from human being according to the encyclopedists’ definition?
Animals do not have optimization like humans. However, it has things that we do not have,
for example, they do not have our faith and hope, but they do not have our fear. They also
suffer death like us but do not know exactly when it will happen. Additionally, most of them
 can't take care of themselves well and don't take advantage of their passions as much as
humans.
- Summarize in a paragraph of about 100 words the role of education in the development
of children according to the encyclopedists’ idea.
The encyclopedists’ idea defines that all children who come into the world must be subjected
to the care of education, for there is none who is born completely instructed and completely
educated. Education covers everything from physical and mental health to behavior and social
qualities. Education is important for children, families, and society. If every kind of education
are imparted with enlightenment and perseverance, the motherland would be well-constituted,
well-governed, and protected from the insults of its neighbors.Overall, the text underscores the
significance of education in nurturing informed, capable, and responsible citizens.