About

The Enlightenment Project refers to the broad intellectual movement of the 17th and 18th centuries that emphasized reason, science, individualism, and progress as the primary ways to improve society. It was driven by thinkers like Voltaire, Kant, Rousseau, Locke, and Hume, who sought to challenge tradition, religious dogma, and authoritarian rule with rational inquiry and empirical evidence.

At its core, the Enlightenment Project was about liberating humanity from ignorance, superstition, and tyranny. It promoted values like:

• Reason – Human rationality should guide decision-making, not faith or tradition.
• Science & Progress – Knowledge should be based on observation and experimentation, leading to societal improvement.
• Individual Rights – Personal freedom, democracy, and equality were seen as fundamental.
• Secularism – Politics and ethics should be grounded in reason rather than religious authority.

The French and American Revolutions were deeply inspired by Enlightenment ideals, pushing for political freedom and human rights. However, critics (like postmodernists) argue that the Enlightenment’s belief in absolute reason led to technocratic control, colonialism, and oppressive systems that ignored cultural diversity and human unpredictability.