Contents introduction Chapter I. The Age of Enlightenment

Conclusion
The Enlightenment - the great ‘age of reason’ - was a period of rigorous scientific, political and philosophical discourse that characterized European society during the ‘long’ 18th century: from the late 17th century to the end of the Napoleonic Wars. In 1815. It was (in the words of historian Roy Porter) a period of great change in thought and consciousness, "crucial in the creation of modernity." Centuries-old traditions and customs have been pushed aside in favor of research, individuality, tolerance, and scientific effort, which has led to the emergence of the “modern world” with the development of industry and politics.
The period of enlightenment preceded the scientific revolution and was closely connected with it. Francis Bacon and Rene Descartes were among the philosophers whose work had previously influenced enlightenment. Prominent figures in the Enlightenment were Cesare Beccaria, Denis Diderot, David Hume, Immanuel Kant, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, John Locke, Montesquieu, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Adam Smith, Hugo Grotius, Baruch Spinoza, and Voltaire.
One of the most influential publications of the Enlightenment was the Encyclopedia (Encyclopedia). The book, published in thirty-five volumes between 1751 and 1772, was compiled by Denis Diderot, Jean le Rond d’Alember, and a group of 150 other intellectuals. The encyclopedia helped to spread the ideas of the Enlightenment in Europe and beyond. Other important publications of the Enlightenment period include Voltaire's Letters on the English Language (1733) and the Dictionary of Philosophy (Dictionary of Philosophy, 1764); Yum's Treatise on Human Nature (1740); Montesquieu's "Spirit of Laws" (1748); Russo's Speech on Inequality (1754) and The Social Contract (1762); Adam Smith's Theory of Moral Perceptions (1759) and The Wealth of Nations (1776); and Kant's Critique of Pure Reason (1781).
Enlightenment thought had a profound effect on the political sphere. European rulers such as Catherine II of Russia, Joseph II of Austria, and Emperor Frederick II of Prussia sought to apply the Enlightenment idea of ​​religious and political tolerance, known as Enlightenment absolutism. Many of the great political and intellectual figures behind the American Revolution were closely associated with the Enlightenment: Benjamin Franklin traveled extensively in Europe, took an active part in scientific and political debates, and brought the latest ideas to Philadelphia; Thomas Jefferson followed European ideas closely and later incorporated some enlightenment ideas into the Declaration of Independence; and James Madison incorporated these ideals into the Constitution of the United States in 1787 during its development. Enlightenment ideas also played an important role in inspiring the French Revolution of 1789.