The Enlightenment, spanning the 17th and 18th centuries, was an intellectual movement in Europe that sought to challenge traditional doctrines and elevate reason and the scientific method as the primary of knowledge. Philosophers like Voltaire, Rousseau, and Kant inspired vigorous debates on liberty, equality, and the of government, contributing to the progressive ideas that precipitated revolutionary changes in politics and society. This era championed skepticism toward monarchist and clerical authority, advocating for political and social structures informed by rational discourse and empirical evidence. Notable advances from this milieu, including Diderot’s ‘Encyclopédie,’ which aimed to consolidate human knowledge and was instrumental in disseminating Enlightenment thought. The rippling effect of these ideals is seen in pivotal historical developments such as the American Revolution and the crafting of the United States Constitution, which drew upon Enlightenment principles. Often referred to as the ‘Age of Reason,’ the Enlightenment left a profound that shaped modern Western thought, embodying an enduring faith in the progress of human civilization through rational inquiry and the pursuit of knowledge.