the Enlightenment and modern philosophy

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Peter Kropotkin
Posts: 1455
Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2022 5:11 am

the Enlightenment and modern philosophy

Post by Peter Kropotkin »

Ok, the first thread of this trilogy was about Descartes,
this thread is about the next stage of philosophy,
the "Enlightenment"

The ''Enlightenment" has very different dates attached to it,
anywhere from 1680 to the French Revolution, 1789...
one author I read, counted the ''Enlightenment" from
1680 to 1720.. perhaps, but within each country came
the dates of their own ''Enlightenment" for example,
in Italy, the ''Enlightenment" could be said to go from '
roughly 1750 to 1800... or when France invaded...

and within each country came a "different" ''Enlightenment",
but the general idea of "Enlightenment" was

"The Enlightenment included a range of ideas centered on the
value of human happiness, the pursuit of knowledge obtained
by means of reason and the evidence of the senses, and ideals
such as liberty, progress, toleration, fraternity, constitutional
government, and the separation of church and state"
(from my friends at wiki... and this definition of the
Enlightenment shows us the fact that the "Declaration of
Independence" is an ''Enlightenment" document, as is the
American constitution...

The main thrust of the ''Enlightenment" was to have people
challenge their indoctrinations, both childhood and social, governmental,
and religious indoctrinations...to challenge people in what they
believed in.. (just as Socrates challenged people into a reevaluation
of values, into what they believed in) Are these values and beliefs,
really your values and beliefs? That was the main question of the
"Enlightenment".. what values and beliefs you hold, and why these
values and beliefs?

I believe that the ''Enlightenment" was never finished, even to
this day... and that is why, in part, we are alienated, disconnected,
fractured from ourselves and each other....and the reason for that will
be made clear in my next thread... the "Romantic era and modern philosophy"

to use reason and logic to understand our values and beliefs,
and not to use emotions and feelings....

"What is the telos of government?"

what is the end game, purpose and value of the government?
and to this day, we still have no universal, comprehensive, common
understanding of the point, value and meaning of the government...
or to follow Aristotle, "What is the telos of the government?"

the point of finding a common understanding of government can
also be found within an understanding of "What it means to be human?"
If we can explain and understand what it means to be human, we can then
find a government that fits that understanding of the human creature....

The nature of human beings will allow us to establish what government
we need... if we are what conservatives claim we are, then it makes
sense to have, as our government a dictatorship or a monarchy, but
if we hold to a liberal viewpoint of what it means to be human,
than we will have a democracy or a communistic government...

the nature of human beings should dictate the government we
have.. be it a democracy, a dictatorship, a monarchy, a republic,
an oligarchy, theocracy, anarchism, constitutional monarchy, Aristocracy,
Kleptocracy or what we have in America, a corporatocracy...

who we are as human beings should dictate the type of government
we have... but as we don't, as yet, know who we are and what is
possible for us as human beings, we are still whistling in the dark
as to what form of government we should have...

solve one question, what is the nature of human beings, who are we,
and we can than discover what type of government we should have...

and that is the goal/telos of the ''Enlightenment" to discover what it means
to be human...and then, and only then can we begin to discover what
government and even society, state, civilization we can and should have...

Kropotkin
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Harbal
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Re: the Enlightenment and modern philosophy

Post by Harbal »

Peter Kropotkin wrote: Mon Sep 26, 2022 6:30 pm
The ''Enlightenment" has very different dates attached to it,
anywhere from 1680 to the French Revolution, 1789...
Damn and blast! All this time I've been waiting for it, and it turns out I've missed it. :(
Peter Kropotkin
Posts: 1455
Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2022 5:11 am

Re: the Enlightenment and modern philosophy

Post by Peter Kropotkin »

Harbal wrote: Mon Sep 26, 2022 6:49 pm
Peter Kropotkin wrote: Mon Sep 26, 2022 6:30 pm
The ''Enlightenment" has very different dates attached to it,
anywhere from 1680 to the French Revolution, 1789...
Damn and blast! All this time I've been waiting for it, and it turns out I've missed it. :(
K: you and me both...

Kropotkin
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