A Revolution of the Mind: Radical Enlightenment and the Intellectual Origins of Modern Democracy

I picked this book up out of curiosity regarding Israel's thesis, which in essence states that there were two separate and incompatible enlightenments during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries: Moderate and Radical. Having learned the basics of the Enlightenment in college, I was eager to learn about this schism and how it related to the ensuing French and American revolutions.Israel's book is very engaging, with flowing and voiceful prose that makes it easy to read. In fact, I really only have to criticisms of the writing. One is that Israel occasionally forgets that we don't all speak French, and so some direct quotations are left hanging without translation. While usually simple to decipher, it creates a break in concentration that I found frustrating. Also (and perhaps this is because the book is based on spoken word lectures) Israel has a few passages that are awfully confusing in syntax. For example on page 69:"Admittedly, in Germany the network of princely courts, imperial and ecclesiastical tribunals, and ecclesiastical authorities--along with a thick overlay of overlapping jurisdictions, legal mechanisms, and customary law--staffed by jurists and officials turned out in awesome quantity by an academic machine of over thirty universities prioritizing theology, law, and scholastic versions of Wolffian philosophy looked denser and more intractable than anywhere else."I'm pretty sure my old English professor would have had my head for writing a sentence as disjointed as that one. Style qualms aside, the content of Israel's argument is both controversial and intriguing. He is fairly dismissive of Rousseau and Voltaire, categorizing them as moderates who are generally supportive of the monarchical status quo. I learned quite a bit about lesser known figures like d'Holbach, Price, Priestly, and Weishaupt--in fact, d'Holbach's "System of Nature" will be my next read, as Israel cites that work extensively and seems to portray it in an excellent light.Given the short nature of the book, there are a few arguments that Israel briefly mentions before moving on, which I think deserved more investigation (e.g. Bayle and Spinoza's contributions to Radical thought, which are mentioned briefly in the Conclusion and left me wanting more).Finally, the book is beautifully bound in black fabric and is printed in Minion Pro, which I find to be a really pleasing and readable typeface. The craft of printing isn't much appreciated these days, but I find it important nonetheless.All in all, I enjoyed this book immensely and highly recommend it.

This is the best book I have read on the Enlightenment; one that clarifies and organizes the streams of thought and political action that form the proudest development of humanity. To counter the depressing expressions of mankind: war, dominance, slavery, crime at all levels, exploitation of the weak, the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of the strong and often corrupt, we have beautiful art... AND we have the thought and action that express themselves the Enlightenment. The author makes it very clear that this precious movement is ever threatened by ignorance and credulity and by those who would nurture the weaker, more passive side of the populace while enriching the forces of those who concentrate power and wealth and rig the system to darken the Enlightenment. It is shocking and sad that the current education of many, if not most Americans, ignores the development of the Enlightenment and allows superficial and highly distorted of teachings about our revolution to define freedom and liberty. Equality on many levels is seen as a threat, one as great as that of teaching children to be rational and to question authority. Our democracy suffers greatly from this ignorance and closed-mindedness. Free-thinkers are a threat to institutions that depend upon the credulity and fear, ignorance, and irrationality that reign in huge pockets of our electorate. I would like to encourage the author NOW to write a book aimed at high school children and adults who have never read books on the Enlightenment nor, of course it's principle authors, and who do not speak French or Latin. I would stand on the corner and help him sell it!NB: Be careful, this title is easily confused with many identical or similar. I also have an iTunes mp3 version which I could not find here for flooding of similar mp3 titles.

Who knew that Voltaire was a conservative progressive? If you thought all Enlightment philosophers were on the same page with taking us into the future, take a look at this. Fascinating reading.

This is a short hand introduction to the state of mind of the European radical reformers of the late 18th century. Besides well known authors, ignored writings such as those of the Dutch politician Pieter Paulus are presented here. In this problem oriented form, in search of the essence of the radical mind, this type of introduction to 18th century radical political thinking was not available up to now. Ealier research reflects too often the general cultural mistrust surrounding thinkers who in their mind dared too turn their factual, hierachical structured 18th century world upside down. This in contrast to the thinkers of the so called Moderate Enlighenment, who while reformers, remained obliged to King, Gentry and the existing religious establishment. This book displays a fresh appreciation of the revolutionary mentality, with due respect to more conservative strands of thinking.This collection of essays is lively written and accessible not just to experts, but to any intellectual interested in the roots of our modernity. I can advise it to students and to a more general public. There are also some surprises in these texts, that should appeal to the specialists in the field.L.M. Plas.

the author describes all the events involved at the same time around Europe about our liberty from the classicals authorities and how the enlightenment open the closed eyes of the culture and science. A great job.

The book was well-written, stimulating, provocative and enlightening. I am interested in the concept of Bildung as an alternative to prevailing reductionist concept of individual development (such as human capital, cognitive and constructivist conception of learning).The book provided excellent background for that as well as showed the intimate connection between the ideas of human rights, democracy, equality and Bildung in the radical enlightment world view.

A must read for people interested in the history of political ideas although only as an introduction.

Very happy to have added this excellent book to the history/philosophy/political thoughtsection of my home library.Thank you seller, much appreciated!Kind regards.Harry Donaghy.

An erudite account of a fairly-recent social process not well-enough appreciated by lay people in our age and, it appears, the subject of persistent hijacking by present-day christian churches relying on that ignorance to claim that beneficial features of present life in the UK are due to our inheritance of social ambiance from the churches, rather than of our release from their ideology by the enlightenment process.