The Enlightenment was a time between the 17th and 18th centuries when people started to think differently about who we are as individuals. They focused on ideas like reason, individualism, and real-life evidence. Here are some important thinkers from that time:
René Descartes (1596-1650): He is famous for saying, “I think, therefore I am.” This means that just by thinking, we know we exist. Descartes believed that being aware of ourselves is a big part of who we are.
John Locke (1632-1704): Locke had a different view. He thought that our identity comes from our memories and experiences. He used the phrase “tabula rasa,” which means “blank slate.” This idea means that we are shaped by what we go through in life, affecting how we develop as individuals.
David Hume (1711-1776): Hume questioned the idea of a constant self. He suggested that our identity is more like a collection of feelings and thoughts, rather than something fixed. This idea helps us see that who we are can change over time.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778): Rousseau believed that people are naturally good and that feelings are important in understanding ourselves. He felt that society often influences and can even corrupt our true selves.
Surveys show that about 70% of people today connect with the ideas from the Enlightenment about exploring who we are. This shows that these thoughts still matter in how we think about identity today. The Enlightenment also started important conversations about people's rights, freedoms, and choices in life.
The Enlightenment was a time between the 17th and 18th centuries when people started to think differently about who we are as individuals. They focused on ideas like reason, individualism, and real-life evidence. Here are some important thinkers from that time:
René Descartes (1596-1650): He is famous for saying, “I think, therefore I am.” This means that just by thinking, we know we exist. Descartes believed that being aware of ourselves is a big part of who we are.
John Locke (1632-1704): Locke had a different view. He thought that our identity comes from our memories and experiences. He used the phrase “tabula rasa,” which means “blank slate.” This idea means that we are shaped by what we go through in life, affecting how we develop as individuals.
David Hume (1711-1776): Hume questioned the idea of a constant self. He suggested that our identity is more like a collection of feelings and thoughts, rather than something fixed. This idea helps us see that who we are can change over time.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778): Rousseau believed that people are naturally good and that feelings are important in understanding ourselves. He felt that society often influences and can even corrupt our true selves.
Surveys show that about 70% of people today connect with the ideas from the Enlightenment about exploring who we are. This shows that these thoughts still matter in how we think about identity today. The Enlightenment also started important conversations about people's rights, freedoms, and choices in life.