Radical Enlightenment

Radical Enlightenment was an intellectual movement in the 17th and 18th centuries that pushed for profound reform in society, emphasizing reason, science, and individual rights over tradition, authority, and dogma. Thinkers like Spinoza and Diderot promoted critical thinking, secularism, and moral equality, challenging established institutions such as the church and monarchy. Unlike more moderate Enlightenment ideas, Radical Enlightenment sought to fundamentally reshape society by advocating for freedom of thought, democratic principles, and the rejection of superstition, laying groundwork for modern ideas about human rights and secular governance.