The Eighteenth Century Today 18th Century (hello? 19th century? Are you in there?) The present 18th Century 1776 – Declaration of Independence 1783 – Revolutionary War ends 1787 – Constitution adopted 1789 – Constitution goes into effect The present Enlightenment’scorebeliefs 1. knowable,consistent “self” 2. Thatselfcomestoknow theworldthrough experienceand understandsItthrough reason 3. ReasonistheulCmate judgeofwhat’sreal, true,andright …the nonage which has become almost second nature. . . (Kant, par.3) If I have a book that thinks for me, a pastor who acts as my conscience, a physician who prescripts my diet, and so on – then I have no need to exert myself . . . (Kant, par. 2) Now I hear the cry from all sides: “Do not argue!” The officer says: “Do not argue – drill!” The tax collector: “Do no argue – pay!” The pastor: “Do not argue – believe!” […] We find restrictions on freedom everywhere. (par. 5) Dare to know! … “Have to courage to use your own understanding,” is . . . The motto of the enlightenment. (par 1) We hold these Truths to be selfevident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. (Jefferson, Declaration, par. 2) The people reign in the American political world as the Deity does in the universe. They are the cause and aim of all things; everything comes from them, and everything is absorbed in them. (de Tocqueville, p.2, par. 4) The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters Francisco Goya (c. 1797-99) Trustthyself:everyheart vibratestothatironstring Afoolishconsistencyisthe hobgoblinofliJleminds, adoredbyliJlestatesmenand philosophersanddivines. Tobegreatistobemisunderstood Nomancanviolate hisnature. Nothingcanbring youpeacebut yourself “Some of you, we all know, are poor […] I have no doubt that some of you who read this book are unable to pay for all the dinners which you have actually eaten, or for the coats and shoes which are fast wearing or are already worn out, and have come to this page to spend borrowed or stolen time, robbing your creditors of an hour” (p.2 par. 1) The mass of men lead lives of quite desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the desperate country, and have to console yourself with the bravery of minks and mu s k r a t s. A s t e r e o t y p e d b u t unconscious despair is concealed even under what are called the games and amusements of mankind. There is no play in them, for this comes after work. But it is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things. (p. 2, par. 4) RipVanWinkle WashingtonIrving(1819) Itissocomfortabletobeaminor. Kant,“WhatIsEnlightenment?” Rip Van Winkle Comic Books Illustrated by N.C. Wyeth (1921) Instead of the great tree that used to shelter the quiet little Dutch inn of yore, there now was reared a tall naked pole, with something on the top that looked like a red nightcap, and from it was fluttering a flag, on which was a singular assemblage of stars and stripes - all this was strange and incomprehensible. He recognized on the sign, however, the ruby face of King George, under which he had smoked so many a peaceful pipe, but even this was singularly metamorphosed. The red coat was changed for one of blue and buff, a sword was held in the hand instead of a sceptre, the head was decorated with a cocked hat, and underneath was painted in large characters, "GENERAL [GEORGE] WASHINGTON." John Quidor, “The Return of Rip Van Winkle” (1849)