The Enlightenment
The Enlightenment, also known as the Age of Reason, was a European intellectual movement of the late 17th and 18th centuries that emphasized the use and celebration of reason, scientific inquiry, skepticism of authority, and visions of political and social reform. Originating in dialogue with the Scientific Revolution and spreading through print culture, salons, academies, and a transnational 'Republic of Letters,' it influenced revolutions, constitutionalism, religious toleration, economics, and modern conceptions of rights.
