History of modern times. Enlightenment in France (most important)

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History of modern times. Enlightenment in France (most important)

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31. EDUCATION IN FRANCE

A special place among the French thinkers of the XVIII century. occupies in its class positions an early herald of a materialistic worldview, a utopian communist Jean Meslier (1664-1729). In the only work he left, “Testament,” he sharply criticized not only the social relations of feudal France, but also the foundations of class society as a whole. In his philosophical views, Meslier is a materialist and an atheist.

Another representative of the French Enlightenment Charles Louis Montesquieu stood on the positions of deism, recognized the existence of God as a rational origin and creator of the world. However, trying to reveal the laws of social development, he, in contrast to religious-idealistic ideas, sought to find the foundations of society within the limits of natural connections, without turning to God.

The political views of Montesquieu, in particular his doctrine of the division of legislative, executive and judicial powers between independent, but controlling each other instances, were progressive in nature, since they were directed against the feudal-absolutist order. Social doctrine was set forth by Montesquieu in his essay On the Spirit of the Laws.

The most prominent leader of the moderate wing of the French Enlightenment was Voltaire (Francois Marie Arouet) - (1694-1778). Voltaire, in collaboration with Diderot and D'Alembert, actively participated in the creation of the Encyclopedia. Voltaire was in the position of deism - God is for Voltaire the prime mover and legislator of the Universe, its highest intelligent creative principle. Voltaire believed that faith in God was necessary as the basis of morality and a rein for the masses. Voltaire sees the origins of religion in the ignorance of people and in the selfish interests of churchmen who use the most cruel means (the Inquisition) in order to protect their power and their wealth in alliance with the aristocracy.

A new stage in the development of the French Enlightenment

A new stage in the development of the French Enlightenment of the XVIII century. there was activity Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778), ideologist of the revolutionary petty bourgeoisie. His ideas, expressed in the works “On the Causes of Inequality”, “On the Social Contract, or Principles of Political Law”, etc., subsequently, during the Great French Revolution of 1789-1794, had a significant influence on the Jacobins, who proclaimed Rousseau as their ideological predecessor . In his essay “On the Causes of Inequality,” Rousseau substantiates the legitimacy of a popular uprising aimed at overthrowing the despotic system. Rousseau stands for private property, more evenly distributed, excluding the extremes of wealth and poverty.

The task of explaining nature from itself and considering man as part of nature attracted the minds of the most prominent French thinkers of the Enlightenment. In accordance with the successes of the natural sciences, they further developed the teachings of the materialists of the XNUMXth century. Matter is primary, it is uncreative, indestructible and is the only reality, the basis of the diversity of everything that exists. Consciousness is considered as a product of matter, one of its properties inherent in highly developed organisms.

French Enlightenment Materialists

Prominent French materialist thinkers were: Denis Diderot (1713-1784), physician Julien Aufray, La Mettrie (1709-1751), Paul Holbach (1723-1789), Claude Andrian Helvetius (1715-1771). The heyday of French materialists dates back to the 50s and 60s. XVIII century and is closely connected with the publication of the Encyclopedia of Sciences, Arts and Crafts, which became the ideological focus of the entire Enlightenment camp.

Authors: Alekseev V.S., Pushkareva N.V.

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