Voltaire argued that there was a god, but god didn’t intervene in human affairs. Frederick the great of Prussia: tried to help the people. Increased freedoms of press and speech to weaken the nobility and strengthen his power. Built a telescope and observed that other planets and moons, existed, and weren’t just balls of light Every body in the galaxy circled around the earth, including the sun. This was the Catholic Churches view and presumed model of the universe in midevil europe

Challenged the geocentric model of the universe through mathematics and put forward the heliocentric model, where everything orbits the sun. Voltaire argued that there was a god, but god didn’t intervene in human affairs. Rejected the humoral theory and claimed that chemical imbalances caused disease, meaning chemical remedies could be used to cure people. private drawing rooms where wealthy Parisian women would have intellectual discussions with aristocrats

French thinkers Using general principles to determine specific consitions There is no morality in the state of nature. You need government to order the chaos of nature Challenged the geocentric model of the universe through mathematics and put forward the heliocentric model, where everything orbits the sun.

Rising birth rates, improving medical technology, vaccines, and bubonic plague went away Overall, religion was increasingly viewed as a matter of private, rather than public concern. Structures of society grew increasingly secular. Collaborated with other enlightened thinkers to edit and publish an encyclopedia that contained a rational explanation for everything. Most famous French philosopher. Produced many works that criticized social and religious institutions of France. Supported religious tolerance, natural rights, but didn’t believe in democracy, only enlightened absolutism

Reading Revolution Francis Bacon Voltaire Enlightened absolutists monarchs