Philosophes and the Age of Enlightenment
by Lisa Hayman
Introduction · Questions · Web Resources · The Big Question · Conclusion · Rubric · Guide
Introduction · Questions · Web Resources · The Big Question · Conclusion · Rubric · Guide
Introduction
The European Enlightenment developed in part due to an energetic group of French thinkers who thrived in the middle of the eighteenth century: the philosophes. This group was a heterogenous mix of people who pursued a variety of intellectual interests: scientific, mechanical, literary, philosophical, and sociological.
Each played a contributing role to the French Revolution.
Instructions:
Individually, investigate the life, work and influence of one of the following Philosophes listed below.
Your must organize a short tutorial to the class, using PowerPoint, to present your findings.
You must include 6-8 slides in your presentation and 1 illustration /graphic in your presentation.
Organise a copy of the PowerPoint to be handed out to the class-this should be the three slides per page format. This must be given to the teacher the day before the presentation.
Organise a copy of one short extract from your philosopheís work to be given out to the class, then read and analysed. This must be given to the teacher the day before the presentation.
Take care to refer to the resources which are available to you via the College Library.
Questions
- Select one of the Philosophes listed below. Take care to refer to their specific writings and the influence they had on the Revolution of 1789.
- Rousseau - include The Social Contract
- Voltaire - include attacks on religion, Letters from England
- Montesquieu - include the Spirit of The Laws, Persian Letters
- DíAlembert - include The Encyclopaedia
Web Resources Links
- The European Enlightenment
- Background Information
- Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)
- Rousseau
- Rousseau - The Social Contract
- Charles de Secondat, - BARON DE MONTESQUIEUThe Spirit of Laws - Montesquieu
- The Spirit of Laws - Montesquieu
- Denis Diderot (1713-1784)
- Diderot, Denis (1713-1784), French Encyclopedist and philosopher.
- Encarta
- Translations of articles from the EncyclopÈdie edited by Denis Diderot and Jean le Rond d'Alembert in the 18th century.
- Jean le Rond d' Alembert,
- Voltaire
- Voltaire - Philosophe
The Big Question
Examine the role of the Philosophes in the French Revolution taking into consideration the social, political and economic situation of France prior to 1789.
Conclusion
For a Revolution to occur a number of elements need to exist. Do you believe the French Revolution would have occurred without the ideas of the Philosophes?
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created by Lisa Hayman email: hayman.lisa@bssc.edu.au http://web-and-flow.com/members/lhayman/philosophes/hunt.htm |