Voltaire and the Enlightenment Essay Example

Voltaire and the Enlightenment Essay Identification and Evaluation of Sources According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the Enlightenment is defined as, â€Å"a philosophic movement of the 18th century marked by a rejection of traditional social, religious, and political ideas and an emphasis on rationalism.† (Merriam-Webster, n.d.) Some of the key philosophical leaders of the Enlightenment included Voltaire and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, whose ideas consisted of a society based on reason rather than faith and Catholic doctrine. The radical ideals of this time led to a rebellious tone echoed throughout Europe.Voltaire, through his writings, launched his philosophical views into society, influencing the way people thought during the Enlightenment.This investigation is going to explore how the philosophical views of the time had an effect throughout society, asking the question: We will write a custom essay sample on Voltaire and the Enlightenment specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Voltaire and the Enlightenment specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Voltaire and the Enlightenment specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer To what extent did Voltaire’s views on liberty, religion, and equality impact European society during the Enlightenment? The key resources used to answer this question will be The Philosophical Dictionary written by Voltaire and a biography taken from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, titled â€Å"Voltaire†. These resources are the most useful because they provide the most insight to the topic in focus. The Philosophical Dictionary is written directly by Voltaire, has many different sections, and multiple sections will be used throughout this investigation to research the views of the philosopher. â€Å"Voltaire† is a biography about Voltaire, and gives an overall glimpse of the philosopher and the events of his life. Evaluation of Source One The Philosophical Dictionary is a primary source that was written by Voltaire and translated by H.I. Woolf, and the copy used in this investigation was published in 1924. The source is credible, but also biased, because it was written from Voltaire’s perspective. This source is a key contribution to this investigation, because itstates the views of