He studied at Cambridge University Trinity College where many of his ideas such as the use of science to help free ordinary people of ignorance while first having to free them from careless and uncritical ways of thinking was prevalent at the time. Bacon promoted a serious approach to science based on experimentation and arriving at scientific conclusions in order to help ordinary people to live more productive and happy lives. The second father of the enlightenment era was from France, his name was René Descartes. He believed that only reason and math were needed for science. He also created a new form of mathematics called analytic geometry. Bacon and Descartes were an inspiration and teachers of being able to express your scientific and philosophical opinions against the religious and monarchy powers of the time. Thus bringing the citizens of the west a new outlook and thought process on government, life, religion, and science. This brings fourth the ideology and dulled diplomacy on mathematics and science that a philosopher like Isaac newton would use. As Isaac newton, being a mathematician and a physicist owes much to Descartes and …show more content…
Western Europe had always been ruled by strict ideas and laws until the enlightenment period brought forth a time of reasoning and individualism. People like Isaac Newton caused citizens to start thinking outside of the box instead of being trapped inside of it by the strict rules. Scientific rationalism, which was glorified by the scientific method, was the climax of everything that has to deal with the enlightenment. Josh Rahn explains the benefits of the Enlightenment by saying, “Enlightenment thinkers and idealist believed that the advances of science and industry heralded a new age of knowledge and progress for humankind. More goods were being produced for less money, people were traveling more, and the chances for the surprisingly mobile to actually change their station in life were significantly improving. At the same time, many people were expressing strict criticism of some time consuming cultural institutions.” The reason these institutions were being criticized so strictly is because new discoveries that happened during the Enlightenment led the teachings of these institutions to be actually proven false. This can be looked at as a step forward in history however, because the wrong teaching and methods were getting criticized so that the new and correct teachings can be