“The Enlightenment was a broadly based intellectual movement whose avowed goal was to apply reason to society for the purpose of human betterment.” (689) Prior to the Eighteenth century there was a religious fervor to understand the world. Through God society found inspiration and clarity. The creator was ultimately revered and feared as the sole source of life and understanding. But through the pages of time we learn and build a base for future improvements. The Enlightenment was truly a time of reflection on the individual and how we in turn affect society and the world.We must first look to the roots of this movement to understand what it is that provoked such a change of thought. The Scientific Revolution definitely supported the growth in pivotal minds that influenced society’s view of reality. The procedure of raising questions led to unanswered calls for reason. The impermeable religious portrait now began to show cracks. Inquiring minds that maintained faith in an almighty overseer swayed towards a Deist understanding of the universe. Deist people sought faith in a rational God and so evolved this new “natural religion.” Reason alone became the prevailing sovereign leader. The writings of John Locke supported the progress of personal enhancement in the Enlightenment. He understood the fundamental beliefs in religion yet enforced equality and peaceful toleration. In An Essay on Toleration printed in 1689 Locke stated “all religions were worthy of respect, none of priority.” His belief that humankind was born “morally neutral, if not instinctively good” (688) contradicted the traditional Christian faith in original sin. He built the idea of a social contract between the individual and society. Locke believed that “Society itself was the voluntary association of free, equal, and separate individuals as free, equal, and united members of a group.” L...
