Enlightenment thinkers generally believed in progress, reason, science, and civilization, but they took divergent and inconsistent positions on many issues. Which of the following is true?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Each statement accurately reflects the nuanced and sometimes contradictory positions of Enlightenment thinkers on religion, the church, and liberty. Montesquieu saw the church as a useful institution for maintaining social order but was skeptical of religious dogma. Rousseau valued personal spirituality but criticized organized religion's power structures. Voltaire, a fierce advocate for intellectual freedom, did not propose trading political liberty for it but often emphasized the importance of freedom of thought over other forms of liberty.

Enlightenment Thinkers Generally Believed in Progress, Reason, Science, and Civilization