Enlightenment People

Most prominent writer of 19th century liberalism

Composed a variety of Music, most accomplished composer in Europe during the enlightenment

His rule as one of the Enlightened absolutists established Prussia as one of the great powers in Europe

Established the American Philosophical Society in 1743, and an academy that became the University of Pennsylvania in 1751. Conducted scientific experiments for electricity, optics, and had more than 200 inventions. Entered into a career in politics

Freedom was a means to an end of personal choice and individuality

Attempted Enlightenment reforms in Russia such as equality before the law, abolishing torture, religious tolerance and a critique of serfdom (a rebellion changed her mind about the Russian poor)

Saw women as oppressed and argued for their full equality in all areas of society

Most influential philosophe, even though his life was near constant scandals

Her reforms strengthened Austrain power and influenced her son Joseph II

Made common sense and personal experience more important than reason as a mode of philosophical inquiry

One of the most influential philosophers on social and political theory

Civil liberties are natural rights of human beings, and Civil society is best when based on a social contract where citizens are guaranteed individual liberty and laws are made in the public’s best interest

Knowledge is opinion and humans would never have certainty

Held English life as a model based on the virtues of its politics, commerce, religion, philosophy and arts

Math and physics gave universal judgements that required no experience

Major Enlightened absolutist ruler and influenced an entire era in Russian and European history

Used his Encyclopedie to provide knowledge and philosophy to challenge existing political, social, and religious institutions and invited other philosophes to contribute essays to the work, even when banned from publishing in France by King Louis XV

Critiques of the church and the French monarchy

Believed representative government was the best because it pushed citizens to participate

Considered the father of the science of political economy

Critiqued the existing education of girls and suggested improvements that would give women more opportunities than getting married

Though he believed the army was the key to a strong state, he worked for economic self-reliance for Prussia and worked to increase agricultural production which bettered the lives of the rural peasants

Used art and its message to help encourage correct social behavior with strong, but simple visuals

Awareness comes from both experience and pure thought, and is subjective based on circumstances

Used internal reforms to strengthen her territory including separating executive and judicial functions and reorganized offices such as defense, commerce and foreign affairs

Father of criminal sociology and advocate against capital punishment

Criticized optimistic philosophy, religious intolerance, and political conditions that hurt the poor or working classes

His neoclassical style set French painting on a new path toward more realism

Writings greatly shaped philosophical thought in Europe

Argued that the mind ordered what it experienced and concluded things based on its own internal ideas

Brough attention to the realities of Milanese justice system, appaling treatment of prisoners, lack of sanitary conditions and legal counsel for both men and women

Though people acted in their own self-interest, the “invisible hand” of the market would make it regulate itself (lassiez-faire) and the government does not need to interfere

Considered the first modern femenist