Who was the leading figure of Enlightenment Era ?
>>890128
Between Voltaire and Rousseau, or in general? Locke and Rousseau are equals at the top, I'd say. Rousseau is not well liked around here, and maybe for good reason. To judge that, I suppose we'd have to look at the degree to which Western society accepted the ideals of the individuals involved. Rousseau and Hobbes appear to have 'lost', so to speak, because society turned away from absolutism and never even considered returning to the so-called natural state.
>>890128
>Locke and Rousseau are equals at the top
Locke and Voltaire, rather. My mistake.
The enlightenment was a cancerous mistake.
>>890306
Neoreactionary?
Hobbes is a truly under-rated thinker in so many aspects. Not least because the continental Enlightenment which (arguably) lead to the French Revolution took its lead from Hobbes
Spinoza can be read as replies to Hobbesian political principles.
>>890128
In the end Locke won. Humanity was reduced to having to live because of economic life.
Voltaire was an aesthetic absolutist and Jean was literally the start of the COunter-Enlightenment.
Would be interesting how those suggestions are nation-specific as I guess a french would think Rousseau or Voltaire were the most influential and a Anglo would surely think John Locke was.
>>890343
This is wrong on so many levels. For starters the 16th/17th century is barely the era of enlightenment. Hobbes pretty much laid the theoretical ground for absolutism and not the French Revolution.
Also Voltaire wasn't that influential in his time.
Pic related. Philosophy wasn't ever the same after him.
>>890557
>>890484
>>890128
Among those two? Voltaire.
Rousseau's cancerousness spread from other sources, enlightenment and revolution eras intellectuals didn't like him any more than we do on /his/.
>>890128
Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell. He absolutely fucked up the Irish. Its amazing that he is still somewhat admired in England.
>>890128
Voltaire. However, I would say Kant is the definitive or the epitome of an enlightenment thinker.
>Tfw people don't even mention you.
Not saying he was the greatest, but he is very underrepresented on /his/.
>>890154
>returning to the so-called natural state.
isn't today rampant darwinism a form of natural state?
>>890128
>"Leading figure"
This is not an interesting question to ask and it depends completely on the parameters you use to judge whatever someone was "leading or not".
If you ask who was a leading figure at the time? I would say Voltaire, as he was most quoted, most invited and most know.
A more interesting question would be: who's idea's still impact modern thinking?
From that perspective Voltaire (and Locke) suddenly fall short, since their theories are now dated.
I'd argue Montesquieu as most influential, because the separation of powers is still visible in literally every modern democracy. The system of "checks and balances" is a vital part of reducing government corruption and promoting "good governance".
Well, it's clearly the two you posted.
They're quite different though. Voltaire probably best embodies the period: light and humourous, picking apart the old world by mocking and desacralising everything in it. Rousseau on the other hand is the founder of modern political thought. Unlike Voltaire he's an actual philosopher, applying reason to social structures in an effort to create better ones.
To put it succinctly, I'd say Voltaire is the destroyer of the old world, Rousseau the creator of the new one.
