The Enlightenment and Its Effects on Modern Society 2011 edition

Marc Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index. Jacket Description/Back: The Enlightenment of the late 17th and 18th century is characterized by an emphasis on reason and empiricism . As a major shaping philosophy of Western culture, it had a historical impact on the religious, cultural, academic, and social institutions of 18th century Europe. In this compelling volume, the author explores the lasting impact of Enlightenment thinking on modern Western societies and other democracies. With an interdisciplinary, comparative-historical approach this volume explores the impact of Enlightenment ideals such as liberty, equality, and social justice on current social institutions. Combining sociological theory with concrete examples, the author provides a unique framework for understanding modern cultural development, including a picture of how it would look without this Enlightenment basis. This work provides a multi-faceted approach, including: an historical overview, analysis of the Enlightenment s influence on modern democratic societies, modern culture, political science, civil society and the economy, as well as exploring the counter-Enlightenment, Post-Enlightenment, and Neo-Enlightenment philosophies."Table of Contents: 1. Liberty, Life, and Happiness for All: The Ideals and Legacies of the Enlightenment in Modern Societies Revisited -- Introduction -- Modern Democratic Society and the Enlightenment -- Modern Democratic Values and Institutions and the Enlightenment -- The Process and Outcome of the Enlightenment -- Destruction of Old, Creation of New, Social Values, and Institutions -- Appendix: The General Concept of Enlightenment -- 2. Modern Democratic Society and the Enlightenment -- The Children of the Enlightenment -- The Modern Concept of Liberty and the Enlightenment -- The Ideal and Legacy of the Enlightenment -- Enlightenment Liberalism - The Principle of Liberty -- Universal Liberalism - Liberty for All -- Individualism and the Enlightenment -- Enlightenment vs. Other Individualism -- Liberal Individualism -- Social Equality and Justice and the Enlightenment -- Enlightenment vs. Non-Enlightenment Egalitarianism and Inclusion -- Social Universalism and the Enlightenment -- Cosmopolitanism -- Social Progress, Optimism, and Pacifism and the Enlightenment -- Social Progress -- Optimism and Hope -- Pacifism -- Human Happiness in Society and the Enlightenment -- 3. The Enlightenment and Western Civilization -- The Enlightenment and Contemporary Civilization -- The Enlightenment and Stages in Western Civilization -- The Highest Point in the Quest for Human Liberty, Equality, Justice, Life, and Happiness? -- Cultural Revolution in Modern Society -- The Creative Destruction of Traditionalism -- The Creation of Liberal-Democratic Modernity -- The Creative Destruction of Feudalism and the Medieval World -- The Enlightenment as the Dual Destroyer-Creator -- Generalized Copernican Revolution in Society -- How the Modern West was Won? -- 4. The Enlightenment and Modern Culture -- The Enlightenment as Cultural Revolution -- Creative Destruction in Culture -- The Rationalistic Renaissance -- Light, Reason, and Liberation vs. Darkness, Superstition, and Subjugation -- The Enlightenment Legacy of Human Reason and Social Progress -- Rationalist and Progressive Legacies -- Liberal-Democratic Legacies -- The Enlightenment as Revolution in Science, Knowledge, and Education -- Liberation and Well-Being Through Science, Knowledge, and Education -- The Program of Intellectual Freedom -- The Foundation of Modern Social Science -- 5. The Enlightenment and Politics -- The Enlightenment as Proxy Political Revolution -- The Enlightenment vs. the Ancien Regime -- The Enlightenment and the New Politics -- Modern Democracy vs. Traditional Theocracy -- The Enlightenment and Liberal-Secular Democracy -- The Enlightenment and Modern Democratic Revolutions -- The Political Legacies of the Enlightenment -- The Legacy of Political Liberties and Human Rights -- The Legacy of Religious Freedom, Tolerance, and Pluralism -- The Enlightenment vs. Intolerance and Holy War -- Universal vs. Partial Political-Religious Liberties -- 6. The Enlightenment, Civil Society, and Economy -- The Enlightenment as a Civic Revolution -- Civil Society vs. Civitas Dei -- The Enlightenment vs. the Protestant Reformation -- The Agent Provocateur of the Conservative Anti-Enlightenment -- The Enlightenment and the Creation of Modern Civil Society -- Civic Innovation -- The Human Life-World and the Holy -- The Enlightenment and Sacred-Secular Differentiation -- The Enlightenment and Modern Secular Humanism -- Enlightenment Humanism and the Penal System for Sinners-Criminals -- The Enlightenment as a Proxy Economic Revolution -- Civil Society and Economy -- The Enlightenment as Economic Innovation -- The Enlightenment vs. the Feudal Master-Servant Economy -- The Enlightenment and Economic Modernity and Freedom -- 7. Counter-Enlightenment, Post-Enlightenment, and Neo-Enlightenment -- The Enlightenment vs. the Dark Middle Ages DEjA Vu -- The Medieval Empire Strikes Back -- The Birth and Maturation of the Anti-Enlightenment - Enemies of the Enlightenment -- The Main Current of the Counter-Enlightenment - Conservatism -- Neo-Conservatism Cum the New Counter-Enlightenment -- Counter-Enlightenment Conservative Romance - Romanticism -- The Ultimate Conservative Anti-Enlightenment - Fascism -- The Post-Enlightenment -- Post-Enlightenment as the Anti-Enlightenment -- Post-Enlightenment as the Neo-Enlightenment -- The Post-Enlightenment as Post-Modernity -- The Neo-Enlightenment -- The Neo-Enlightenment and the New Liberalism -- Trends Toward the Neo-Enlightenment -- American Values and the Enlightenment Revisited -- Enlightenment vs. Pre- and Anti-Enlightenment American Values -- The Enlightenment and American Liberal-Democratic Values -- Appendix: Critics and Skeptics of the Enlightenment -- 8. Conclusion -- A World without Enlightenment Ideals, Achievements, and Legacies -- The Dark Middle Ages Universalized in Society and Perpetuated into Infinity -- Back to the Future of Witches, Witch Trials, and other Wondrous Creatures and Practices -- A World with Enlightenment Values and Legacies -- Welcome to Liberal-Democratic Modernity -- References -- Index.

Contributor Bio:  Zafirovski, Milan MILAN ZAFIROVSKI is Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of North Texas in Denton. His research interests include economic sociology, social theory, and social inequality. He serves on the Editorial Board of the "American Journal of Economics and Sociology" and is the author of "Exchange, Action, and Social Structure: Elements of Economic Sociology" (Greenwood Press, 2001).