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The Essential Enlightenment
The political ideas that fully came together under the name “liberal” in the early nineteenth century—the ideas we often now refer to as “classical liberalism”—emerged out of major debates and developments from the late 1600s to the late 1700s, part of the broad European intellectual movement of that era that came to be known as “the Enlightenment.”
This volume shows how the Enlightenment and the development of liberal ideas were woven together by looking at three defining figures of the Baruch Spinoza (writing in the mid-1600s), the Baron de Montesquieu (mid-1700s) and Immanuel Kant (whose career reached its height in the final two decades of the 1700s). Both Spinoza and Kant were concerned with fundamental philosophical questions about what we could know about God, morality, the nature of the world, and humanity’s place in it. Montesquieu wrote almost nothing about such questions, drawing instead from global history and comparative law.
While the Enlightenment is associated with many things, one of them was the struggle to understand morality and human nature through the use of reason rather than relying on religious authority; another was the attempt to understand political and social orders in ways that would prevent a return to the wars of religion that had divided Europe in the 1500s and the first half of the 1600s. In various ways, Spinoza, Montesquieu, and Kant all argued for religious toleration—for the peaceful coexistence of different organized ways of understanding God within civil governments that didn’t enforce any one of those ways. Their support of freedom of religious thought also made all of them supporters of free inquiry and free speech. The three thinkers likewise shared commitments to the rule of law and to constitutional forms of government that would constrain the discretionary power of any one ruler.
This book does not aim to be a complete history of the Enlightenment. Rather, it is an introduction to three of the most important contributors to it. The Enlightenment partly took shape around their contributions. So, too, did the development of liberalism.
This volume shows how the Enlightenment and the development of liberal ideas were woven together by looking at three defining figures of the Baruch Spinoza (writing in the mid-1600s), the Baron de Montesquieu (mid-1700s) and Immanuel Kant (whose career reached its height in the final two decades of the 1700s). Both Spinoza and Kant were concerned with fundamental philosophical questions about what we could know about God, morality, the nature of the world, and humanity’s place in it. Montesquieu wrote almost nothing about such questions, drawing instead from global history and comparative law.
While the Enlightenment is associated with many things, one of them was the struggle to understand morality and human nature through the use of reason rather than relying on religious authority; another was the attempt to understand political and social orders in ways that would prevent a return to the wars of religion that had divided Europe in the 1500s and the first half of the 1600s. In various ways, Spinoza, Montesquieu, and Kant all argued for religious toleration—for the peaceful coexistence of different organized ways of understanding God within civil governments that didn’t enforce any one of those ways. Their support of freedom of religious thought also made all of them supporters of free inquiry and free speech. The three thinkers likewise shared commitments to the rule of law and to constitutional forms of government that would constrain the discretionary power of any one ruler.
This book does not aim to be a complete history of the Enlightenment. Rather, it is an introduction to three of the most important contributors to it. The Enlightenment partly took shape around their contributions. So, too, did the development of liberalism.
- GenresPhilosophy
92 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 21, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 13, 2023
Succint and easily understandable notes on tracing the roots of modern libertarian ideals to the age of Enlightenment.
March 12, 2024
Extremely summarized approach to the era. However, the authors do a good job of name dropping and recommendations for further reading if the reader chooses. On a personal note, I wish we could turn the big ship of civil society back in the direction of Enlightenment thinking--we're veering way off course and have been for some time.
December 30, 2021
It's a very high level and quick read about how Spinoza, Montesquieu, and Kant thought about (and ended up influencing) society during an exceptionally tumultuous time reminiscent of our own. Since reading it, I've also read Oman Reborn; Balancing Tradition and Modernization. The first book absolutely contributed to a deeper understanding of the second, and both books discuss institutions of leadership that are able to facilitate a moderate pace of social/governmental/technical change while avoiding explosively reactionary or radical destabilization.
January 17, 2024
Probably my least favorite so far of the essential scholar series. I think it is the last one I am going to listen to. It was about an hour and forty five minute listen on 1.75x speed. I enjoyed learning more about Kant and his morality and government thoughts. But overall it didn’t keep me as interested as the essential series on individual people.
September 20, 2023
Excellent Intro to Enlightenment pioneers!
A survey in how individual freedom and social responsibility is defined against the backdrop of authority and what should be done when authority fails as it sometimes does.
A survey in how individual freedom and social responsibility is defined against the backdrop of authority and what should be done when authority fails as it sometimes does.
August 29, 2023
A great introduction on the Enlightenment.
June 5, 2025
Good overview of the enlightenment
Enjoyed a quick review of the major Enlightenment. Who doesn’t love Kant. A few spelling mistakes that should be edited.
Enjoyed a quick review of the major Enlightenment. Who doesn’t love Kant. A few spelling mistakes that should be edited.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews