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BY CHRISSI KEOGH
THE ENLIGHTENMENT PERIOD
What is the Enlightenment?
It occurred from 1600 to 1800; it was an intellectual period in Europe.
1760
Montesquieu (1689-1755)
Voltaire (1694-1788)
The American War of Independence
David Hume (1711-1776)
1776
Immanuel Kant (1724 -1804)
As a person, he rejected religion and royalty and focused on studying society; this he named
Sociology.
During his young life the European society was experiencing alienation and violent conflicts.
Different ideas:
Theological- In this stage, anything that cannot be explained is put down to the supernatural. It is
divided into three stages: a) Fetishism: where man accepts existence of the soul or spirit. B)
Polytheism: where man begins to believe in magic. They believed in several Gods, created the class
of Priests and get the blessings of these Gods. C) Monotheism: Man believes there is only one centre
of power which controls the activities of the World. They believed in the power of a single God.
Metaphysical-In this stage it was believed that the an abstract power determines World events and
does not believe in one single God.
Positivism- No place for belief or superstition; everything is explained in a rational sense. Comte was
against all types of irrational elements in that of social thinking. It only takes into account logical or
mathematical proof; rejecting both theism and metaphysics.
EMILE
DURKHEIM
1858-1917
Durkheim’s Theories and Ideas
Social phenomena and societies cannot be
understood in reference to individuals.
In order for such a social force to exist; society itself must have
changed in some key respect.
KARL MARX
1818-1883
Marx’s Quotes
“Men can be distinguished from animals by
consciousness, by religion or anything else you
like. They begin to distinguish themselves from
animals as soon as they begin to produce their
means of subsistence, a step which is conditioned
by their physical organisation. By producing their
means of subsistence men are indirectly
producing their actual material life.” -Marx
MAX WEBER
1864-1920
Weber’s Theories and Ideas
Affective
society.’
Social Phenomenon
Critique