Compare And Contrast The Optimism Of The Enlightenment

In the 18th century, Europeans experienced the beginning of the age of knowledge, advancements in science and math, and the age of Enlightenment. The views on the advancements made in society were very optimistic. People began to rely more on science, than religion, to better explain the world and the society. These optimistic ideas of the Enlightenment were expressed mainly in literature and essays. The Enlightenment thinkers used the scientific method to apply in society to justify world beliefs. The Enlightenment thinkers also applied the use of reason and belief of religious toleration and perfected government. These concepts reflected the optimism of the Enlightenment period.
J.J. Rousseau was an optimistic Enlightenment thinker. He believed that people were born naturally good but that the cruel society corrupted him. His optimistic beliefs are showed in The Social Contract, in which he expressed his belief of general will. He argued that the individual replaced the monarch as the true source of power. Rousseau also argued that the general will was not that of the majority but it was the will of a far-seeing minority
His Essay on Human Understanding claimed the optimistic thought of tabula rasa, everyone is born with a blank slate. He also said that all ideas are derived from life experiences. John Locke also rejected the rule by divine right belief which led to new beliefs on ways to govern. In his essay he argued that sovereignty did not reside in the state but that it resided in the people. John Locke in his Second Treatise of Civil Government also spoke of natural rights of the people, which was extremely optimistic for the time. According to Locke, the three natural rights were life, liberty, and property. This optimistic belief meant that the monarchs had to give the people those three things. Locke also advocated the idea of a social contract in which the government serves the