The Age of Enlightenment

What is the Enlightenment? This course investigates the era of change and radical thought that precipitated the French Revolution. Far from stereotypes about "Enlightenment ideology," we will explore how the Enlightenment opened up spaces for critique, generating new ideas and values that challenged the traditional authorities of the "Ancien Régime." Our readings will exemplify the richness of the moral, political, and philosophical debates that divided 18th-century France, focusing on the role of the philosopher, the place of science in society, rethinking social inequalities, sexual freedom, women's education, religion and atheism.