On the surface, the most apparent cause of the Enlightenment was the Thirty Years’ War. This horribly destructive war, which lasted from 1618 to 1648, compelled German writers to pen harsh criticisms regarding the ideas of nationalism and warfare.

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Originated between about 1650-1700. The Enlightenment lasted until the late 18th century. Thinkers during the Enlightenment believed human reason could be used to achieve three great goals- knowledge, freedom, and happiness- and that achieving these goals would improve society.

It was thought during the Enlightenment that human reasoning could discover truths about the world, religion, and politics and could be used to improve the lives of humankind. Skepticism about received wisdom was another important idea; everything was to be subjected to testing and rational analysis.

Why was the Enlightenment a turning point in history? It used logic and reason to explain the world. Enlightenment ideas completely changed the way nations are governed and how people viewed religion. People began to believe life should be enjoyed and that the world can be improved.

One way of understanding this claim is in terms of justification: a reason justifies or makes it right for someone to act in a certain way. The term “normative reason” derives from the idea that there are norms, principles or codes that prescribe actions: they make it right or wrong to do certain things.

Right reason is the operative principal that permits man to exercise his faith and overcome temptation. Christ is closely identified with right reason and properly so since he uses his right reason to meet the temptations of Satan.

Reasoning is generally seen as a mean to improve knowledge and make better decisions. Much evidence, however, shows that reasoning often leads to epistemic distortions and poor decisions. This suggests rethinking the function of reasoning.