French Enlightenment
The French Enlightenment refers to a cultural and intellectual movement in France during the 18th century. It was characterized by a focus on reason, science, skepticism of traditional beliefs, and a belief in progress and the power of human reason to improve society. Key figures of the French Enlightenment include philosophers such as Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Denis Diderot, who advocated for social reform, religious tolerance, and the separation of church and state. This period was marked by a flourishing of literature, philosophy, science, and the arts, and had a lasting impact on Western thought and society.