The Heavenly City of the Eighteenth Century Philosophers

Carl Becker's The Heavenly City of the Eighteenth Century Philosophers examines the Enlightenment thinkers, known as Philosophes. Becker highlights their fervent belief in progress and human perfectibility, noting how they sought to reconcile traditional Christianity with Enlightenment secularism.1

The Enlightenment was a European intellectual movement that emphasized reason and individualism. Its thinkers believed in the power of human reason to improve society and advocated for reforms based on rational principles. This era, roughly spanning the 18th century, saw a shift in thought from religious dogma to secular philosophies, influencing fields from science to politics.21