The Enlightenment

The free course will examine the Enlightenment. To help understand the nature and scale of the cultural changes of the time, we offer a 'map' of the conceptual territory and the intellectual and cultural climate. We will examine the impact of Enlightenment on a variety of areas including science, religion, the classics, art and nature. Finally, we will examine the forces of change which led from Enlightenment to Romanticism.

• Introduction
• Learning outcomes
• 1 'The Enlightenment'
• 1 'The Enlightenment'
• 2 The Enlightenment and its mission
• 2 The Enlightenment and its mission
• 2.1 Definitions
• 2.2 The Encyclopédie
• 2.3 The pervasive influence of Enlightenment
• 3 Enlightenment, science and empiricism
• 3 Enlightenment, science and empiricism
• 4 Enlightenment, religion and morality
• 4 Enlightenment, religion and morality
• 4.1 Constant human nature
• 4.2 Materialism
• 4.3 Responses to religion
• 5 Enlightenment and the classics
• 5 Enlightenment and the classics
• 6 The Enlightenment on art, genius and the sublime
• 6 The Enlightenment on art, genius and the sublime
• 7 The Enlightenment and nature
• 7 The Enlightenment and nature
• 8 The forces of change: towards Romanticism
• 8 The forces of change: towards Romanticism
• 8.1 The forces of change: towards Romanticism
• 8.2 The increasing status of feeling
• 8.3 Enlightenment, humanity and revolution
• 8.3.1 Humanity
• 8.3.2 Revolution
• 8.4 The Enlightenment and modernity
• 9 Conclusion
• 9 Conclusion
• 9.1 Key characteristics of the enlightenment
• 9.2 Cultural shifts: from Enlightenment to Romanticism, c.1780–1830
• References
• Acknowledgements