Understand that we base our modern lifestyle, freedom, trends, and zeitgeist thoughts on this... according to Britanica Encyclopedia. We owe respect to, and discipline to appreciate and understand, and still further develop... Enlightenment Enlightenment, French siècle des Lumières (“Age of the Enlightened”), German Aufklärung, a European intellectual movement of the 17th and 18th centuries in which ideas concerning God, reason, nature, and man were synthesized into a worldview that gained wide assent and that instigated revolutionary developments in art, philosophy, and politics. Central to Enlightenment thought were the use and the celebration of reason, the power by which man understands the universe and improves his own condition. The goals of rational man were considered to be knowledge, freedom, and happiness. What history prior to this do you guys think cultivated this wonderful philosophy? The renaissance? Any thoughts? One downside, I guess.. a lot of people have their own takes on improving their own conditions through their understanding of the world/universe.
Enlightenment, the real thing, not necessarily implied through the above definition, has been going on for over 3,500 years and studied extensively through those who have had a long-running tradition of the experiences involved with it.
How come everyone that claims they found enlightenment is a pretentious douche? *Glares at the Dalai Lama angrily*
Sick thoughts, dudes. @ YEM... Yeah I know, I'm talking about the "Enlightenment" of the 17th and 18th centuries, though, particularly in Europe... If you didn't want to talk about that, shouldn't have posted. Way to go... lame...
Thats because they usually are pretentious douche. The word "enlightenment" is essentially a meaningless, catch-all term. It's definition varys from different traditions of different religions and philosophies. But almost anyone who's ever read Alan Watts before likes to describe themselves as "enlightened". It's pretty sad.