late 17th centuryReputable sourceWell documented
The Age of Reason
On the timeline · around late 17th century ·
What happened
Building on the scientific revolution — above all Isaac Newton's demonstration that the universe obeys discoverable mathematical laws — European thinkers launched a movement that placed reason, observation, and human progress above tradition and religious authority. They believed that the same rational inquiry that unlocked nature could also reform society, government, and belief.
Why it matters
The Enlightenment was one of the great turning points in the history of ideas. Its faith in reason, liberty, and progress underlies modern science, democracy, human rights, and the secular state.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. The Enlightenment · Reputable source