The Enlightenment: The Pursuit of Happiness, 1680-1790 Contributor(s): Robertson, Ritchie (Author) |
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ISBN: 0062410652 ISBN-13: 9780062410658 Publisher: Harper OUR PRICE: $40.50 Product Type: Hardcover - Other Formats Published: February 2021 |
Additional Information |
BISAC Categories: - History | Modern - 18th Century - History | World - General |
Dewey: 190.903 |
Physical Information: 2.3" H x 6.3" W x 9.2" (2.50 lbs) 1008 pages |
Themes: - Chronological Period - 18th Century |
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
Publisher Description: A magisterial history that recasts the Enlightenment as a period not solely consumed with rationale and reason, but rather as a pursuit of practical means to achieve greater human happiness. Robertson returns to the era's original texts to show that above all, the Enlightenment was really about increasing human happiness - in this world rather than the next - by promoting scientific inquiry and reasoned argument. In so doing Robertson chronicles the campaigns mounted by some Enlightened figures against evils like capital punishment, judicial torture, serfdom and witchcraft trials, featuring the experiences of major figures like Voltaire and Diderot alongside ordinary people who lived through this extraordinary moment. In answering the question 'What is Enlightenment?' in 1784, Kant famously urged men and women above all to "have the courage to use your own intellect". Robertson shows how the thinkers of the Enlightenment did just that, seeking a well-rounded understanding of humanity in which reason was balanced with emotion and sensibility. Drawing on philosophy, theology, historiography and literature across the major western European languages, The Enlightenment is a master-class in big picture history about the foundational epoch of modern times. |
Contributor Bio(s): Robertson, Ritchie: - Ritchie Robertson is Professor of German at Oxford University, a fellow of the British Academy, and a lead reviewer for the Times Literary Supplement. |