Enlightenment Philosophers

Definition

Enlightenment Philosophers were thinkers during the 17th and 18th centuries who promoted ideas about reason, science, individual rights, and progress. Their ideas greatly influenced democratic thought and political structures around the world.

Related terms

John Locke: An influential Enlightenment philosopher who argued for natural rights - life, liberty, property - that should be protected by government.

Social Contract Theory: The belief that people live together in society under an implicit agreement that establishes moral and political rules of behavior; this idea was popularized by philosophers like Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau during the Enlightenment period.

Separation of Powers: An idea championed by Montesquieu suggesting governmental powers should be divided among separate branches to prevent any one entity from gaining absolute power.