Summary
Wolfgang Schmale: A History of the Modern Enlightenment
The Enlightenment of the eighteenth century is still relevant in the twenty-first century. It functions as a humane social landmark in a derailed world. Providing such a social orientation was always the main goal of the Enlightenment - and it was always exposed to fundamental criticism. The potential of the Enlightenment to provide guidance to society in times of crises, wars and terrorism developed precisely in the context of this kind of criticism.
The author follows this historical process from the early nineteenth century, with special reference to intellectuals from Hegel to Foucault. Using the methodology of digital humanities, it analyzes the Enlightenment from a global historical perspective. According to today's prevailing understanding, the Enlightenment turns out to be a science of life that survives even in the face of fundamental criticism.
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