In Europe, the beginning of the 18th century saw the rise of a number of revolutionary ideas. These changes included the questioning of any divine right to rule and the need for governments to represent the people rather than act directly. The first revolution in England led to the transfer of power from monarchs to parliament. In France, the revolution against the royalists was sparked by the ideas of the philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau. A movement began to spread across Europe, the ideas of freedom, equality, and brotherhood inspiring philosophers and politicians. These ideals inspired movements in America, where Thomas Paine published his political pamphlet Common Sense to inspire the revolutionaries. These revolutions in America and France shared similar goals of freedom, democracy, and liberty – ‘Liberté, égalité, fraternité’, most of which were inspired by Enlightenment philosophy preceding the whole era.
Introduction
How do we really define Philosophy? The Greek word φιλοσοφία – Philosophia. Or as the term has been coined by modern Western language – Philosophy. The literal meaning of this word is relatively static. Derived from its Greek origin it comprises two separate words...
