Nathan the Wise
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| - | The '''''philosophes''''' ([[French language|French]] for ''[[philosopher]]s'') were a group of [[intellectual]]s of the [[18th century]] [[The Enlightenment|Enlightenment]]. | ||
| - | ==Overview of the ''philosophes''== | ||
| - | '''[[Isaac Newton|Newton]]'s''' formulation of the three laws of motion and law of universal gravitation prompted many Europeans to approach all study of nature through reason and logic. The ''philosophes'' were a result of this new approach to learning who encouraged reason, knowledge and education as a way of overcoming [[superstition]] and ignorance. ''Philosophes'' [[Denis Diderot]] and [[Jean le Rond d'Alembert]] edited the ''[[Encyclopédie]]'' ([[1751]]-[[1772]],) which represented the ''philosophe'' belief that everything could be known, classified and understood by man. It also questioned religious authority and criticized social injustice. They believed that the role of philosophy was to change the world, not just to discuss it. | ||
| - | Because it was illegal to openly criticize the church and state in France, many wrote plays, novels, histories, dictionaries, and encyclopedias with subtle messages attached. An example is [[Montesquieu]]'s ''[[Persian Letters]]''. | + | '''''Nathan the Wise''''' (original [[German language|German]] title ''Nathan der Weise'') is a play by [[Gotthold Ephraim Lessing]], published in 1779. It is a fervent plea for [[religious tolerance]]. Its performance was forbidden by the church during Lessing's lifetime and along with another of his works, ''The Jews'' (German title: ''Die Juden''), was also banned by the Nazis. |
| - | These ''philosophes'' cool, such as [[Frederick II of Prussia|Frederick II, the Great of Prussia]], [[Catherine II of Russia|Catherine II, the Great of Russia]], [[Maria Theresa of Austria]], and [[Joseph II of Austria]]. These were the enlightened despots of the time. | + | Set in [[Jerusalem]] during the [[Third Crusade]], it describes how the wise Jewish merchant Nathan, the enlightened [[sultan]] [[Saladin]] and the (initially anonymous) [[Knights Templar|Templar]] bridge their gaps between [[Judaism]], [[Islam]] and [[Christianity]]. Its major themes are friendship, tolerance, relativism of God, a rejection of miracles and a need for communication. |
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| - | Although many ''philosophes'' disagreed with each other over certain principles the two major tenets the philosophes accepted were [[deism]], and [[toleration]] | + | |
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| - | ==Attitude to religion== | + | |
| - | Many ''philosophes'' rejected organized religion, believing that it was holding back human progress. Those ''philosophes'' critical to religion claimed that Catholicism prevented humanity from seeking improvement and equality, by teaching ideas such as divine right and by supporting the privilege of the nobility. Many philosophes cam to believe religion promoted intolerance and bigotry. These ''philosophes'' did not espouse atheism through rational enquiry. Some philosophes, such as Voltaire, did not believe in organized religion itself, but believed it had the purpose of controlling the masses. Also the idea of "Deism" or a watchmaker type god was influencial. A watchmaker god is the theological theory that an incomprehesibly intelligent being created the universe and then left it to its own devices. | + | |
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| - | ==Toleration== | + | |
| - | Many ''philosophes'' believed that [[toleration]] was the means to a virtuous life, although some believed otherwise. They believed that toleration would combat the religious fanaticism that prevented humans from bettering their condition. This movement towards toleration was led by [[Voltaire]] in his ''[[Treatise on Tolerance]]'' and [[Gotthold Lessing]] in his play ''[[Nathan the Wise]]'' | + | |
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| - | ==Other common causes== | + | |
| - | Most ''philosophes'' denounced slavery because it deprived people of their most basic rights. One of the most well known "anti-slavery" ''philosophes'' is Josiah Wedgwood, a potter. He designed and produced thousands of anti-slavery medallions, which some ''fashionable people'' wore or put up on display in their homes. Some of the other things ''philosophes'' denounced are: torture and/or cruel punishments for crimes, inhumane treatment of the mentally ill, and mercantilism. A certain group of philosophes called "physiocrats" searched for "natural laws" to explain economics. These "physiocrats" opposed mercantilism (a closed trading system that influenced the economic policies of most governments at the time), many argued that land, not the gold and silver that many kings were hoarding, was the true source of wealth. Through this they encouraged farming and a ''free market'', a market in which all goods could be bought and sold without restraint. | + | |
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| - | ==Famous ''philosophes''== | + | |
| - | *[[Jean le Rond d'Alembert]] | + | |
| - | *[[Benjamin Franklin]] | + | |
| - | *[[Denis Diderot]] | + | |
| - | *[[Caesar Chesneau Dumarsais]] | + | |
| - | *[[David Hume]] | + | |
| - | *[[Thomas Paine]] | + | |
| - | *[[Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu|Montesquieu]] | + | |
| - | *[[Jean-Jacques Rousseau]] | + | |
| - | *[[Adam Smith]] | + | |
| - | *[[Voltaire]] | + | |
| + | In the early 21st century, the Ring Parable of ''Nathan the Wise'' was taken up again in [[Peter Sloterdijk]]'s ''[[Gottes Eifer: Vom Kampf der drei Monotheismen]]''. | ||
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Nathan the Wise (original German title Nathan der Weise) is a play by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, published in 1779. It is a fervent plea for religious tolerance. Its performance was forbidden by the church during Lessing's lifetime and along with another of his works, The Jews (German title: Die Juden), was also banned by the Nazis.
Set in Jerusalem during the Third Crusade, it describes how the wise Jewish merchant Nathan, the enlightened sultan Saladin and the (initially anonymous) Templar bridge their gaps between Judaism, Islam and Christianity. Its major themes are friendship, tolerance, relativism of God, a rejection of miracles and a need for communication.
In the early 21st century, the Ring Parable of Nathan the Wise was taken up again in Peter Sloterdijk's Gottes Eifer: Vom Kampf der drei Monotheismen.
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