What was the enlightenment and who were some of the key contributors and their ideas?
The Enlightenment was a period in the 18th century characterized by a focus on reason, science, individualism, and skepticism of authority. Some key contributors were thinkers like Voltaire, who advocated for freedom of speech and religion, John Locke, who emphasized natural rights and the social contract, and Montesquieu, who proposed the separation of powers in government. These thinkers laid the foundation for modern Western philosophy and political thought.