Where did the terms come from? (LIFE AND TIMES message #2333)

Where did the terms come from?

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Posted by Helen on January 16, 1998 at 12:46:11:

In response to He was just a baby; born in 1806 (I think) ;-), written by Erin on January 15, 1998 at 20:22:23

] Are the "Age of Reason" and "the Age of Enlightenment" the
] same concept, or are they two separate concepts that existed at the same time?

Are they contemporary descriptions, or do they come later? "Enlightenment" implies a darkness existed previously - "God said, "Let Newton be", and all was light" (who said that?) - whereas Age of Reason is more neutral.

]

] I've always seen the terms used interchangeably. Reason is an expression of the inherent goodness of man, whereby he ought to be balanced in every manner. Yet there are so many inconsistencies between the thought at that time. You've got Rousseau's utopian ideal on the one hand and Voltaire's isolationism of the self --sort of a precursor to Rand's morality of egotism, on the other.

Yet again it's the Erin thumbnail sketch which answers all your questions in a paragraph! La Dem's idea that you should write a book (the world's intellectual beliefs summarized) is not to be dismissed... ;-)

Helen

REPLIES:

Hear, hear! gkb 10:56:51 1/17/98 (0)
An Erin book? I would buy it! (nfm) Marie Bernadette 15:23:53 1/16/98 (3)
- How about a Patrick book, too, for balance. (nfm) Marie Bernadette 10:38:45 1/24/98 (1)
  - Why, thank you, Marie Bernadette. I'll take that under advisement :-) (nfm) Patrick 15:50:16 1/26/98 (0)
- OK, but... Erin 18:26:06 1/17/98 (0)

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