Religion and Science

The Enlightenment – also called the age of reason – occurred in the American history around the mid-18^th century till the end-18^th century. Why this period of time also had the name “Age of Reason” had to do with the fact that people (wealthier white men) started to questioning God, social status, and politics. Science started to develop which changed the American people’s way of living and thinking. Rational thinking was one of the most important aspects of the Enlightenment and people believed that one thing would automatically lead to another.

As I mentioned God - and religion in general – was highly questioned which Alexander Pope made clear in one statement: “the proper study of mankind is man”. He also created the term “Tabula Rasa” which means that man is born with a blank mind.

Thomas Paine was also a very important person and had a great influence in changing people’s opinion towards religion. He explains in his writing how every man has the right of speaking his own mind. Paine himself did not entirely believe the Bible’s words. He believed that revelation only occurred to the person experiencing it firsthand which this quote proves: “I did not see the angle myself, and therefore I have a right not to believe it”.

Benjamin Franklin was one of the most influent people when it came to science. Despite his many inventions and discoveries he did not take patent on them. He believed the American people were in need of these inventions and that it would therefore wrong to do so. One of his first science inventions was the wood-burning stove (better known as Franklin Stove), but unfortunately it did not have the great success he had hoped. It was developed over time though to the common good of the American people. However it turned out, it did not make his passion for studying science decrease. Later his discovery of the lightning rod became an important change in science. He observed the lightning from clouds which led to his experiments on how to lead electricity through a string.

These theories and inventions was among many others - during this time – a part of the changing of American society. Other theorists and inventors later on followed Pain’s and Franklin’s lead and created new experiments.