231084 Out of Their Minds in the Age of Reason (S) (WiSe 2013/2014)

The Enlightenment, often referred to as the Age of Reason, was the name given to an important period in the history and culture of Western civilization. In Britain, the Age of Enlightenment was characterized by the belief that human reason could bring light into the darkness of the world. Experimentation, generalization and the reliance on observable facts were elevated to the level of public discourse in the battle of rational thought against superstition and ignorance. In quest of adventure and universal truths, paradoxically, the characters of the Enlightenment often find themselves regressing rather than progressing, captured within the confines of their own immaturity.

Literaturangaben

John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress
Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe
Jonathan Swift, Gulliver’s Travels
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