p.
5
The Origins of the Enlightenment: from Ancient Rome to Europe of the 18th Century
Purpose: The article aims to identify the origins of the Enlightenment and the ideological justifi cation of the
relationship of the European Enlightenment and Ancient Rome outstanding thinkers.
Methods: The mentioned above aim requires the use of comparative analysis method to determine the similarities
in the cultural models of the 18th century in Europe and Rome, in the public mind and in the works of thinkers of the
ages. Comparison of the text of the European Enlightenment and Roman philosophers reveals the ideological concepts
of their teachings and their inherent desire to popularize knowledge.
Results: Clearly visible in the culture of Ancient Rome educational pathos allows to considering it as one of the
fi rst steps on the path to the cultural model; the full approval was done due to the activities of the Enlightenment in
Europe of the XVIII century. Utilitarian attitude to philosophy as a means of education and moral education was born in
the ancient Rome. Acute acquired criticism of religious worship and superstition is easy to fi nd in the works of Cicero,
Lucretius, and Seneca. It relates to the secularism of many European Enlightenment philosophers – Mellier, Holbach,
Voltaire etc. Peculiar antidogmatism, critical attitude to any authority was evident in the Roman philosophy. The mind
was the only source and criterion of truth. There are the origins of humanity, which have become an essential feature
of the Enlightenment in the ancient Rome. Due to the facts mentioned above we can name Ancient Rome as “Ancient
Enlightenment.”
Discussion: This article continues the discussion concerning the opportunity of recognition of Enlightenment as
a holistic and a unifi ed phenomenon, which is especially acute in the world of science since the 80s of the last century.
The debatable issues are also ideological origins of the Enlightenment, which are revealed in this article.
relationship of the European Enlightenment and Ancient Rome outstanding thinkers.
Methods: The mentioned above aim requires the use of comparative analysis method to determine the similarities
in the cultural models of the 18th century in Europe and Rome, in the public mind and in the works of thinkers of the
ages. Comparison of the text of the European Enlightenment and Roman philosophers reveals the ideological concepts
of their teachings and their inherent desire to popularize knowledge.
Results: Clearly visible in the culture of Ancient Rome educational pathos allows to considering it as one of the
fi rst steps on the path to the cultural model; the full approval was done due to the activities of the Enlightenment in
Europe of the XVIII century. Utilitarian attitude to philosophy as a means of education and moral education was born in
the ancient Rome. Acute acquired criticism of religious worship and superstition is easy to fi nd in the works of Cicero,
Lucretius, and Seneca. It relates to the secularism of many European Enlightenment philosophers – Mellier, Holbach,
Voltaire etc. Peculiar antidogmatism, critical attitude to any authority was evident in the Roman philosophy. The mind
was the only source and criterion of truth. There are the origins of humanity, which have become an essential feature
of the Enlightenment in the ancient Rome. Due to the facts mentioned above we can name Ancient Rome as “Ancient
Enlightenment.”
Discussion: This article continues the discussion concerning the opportunity of recognition of Enlightenment as
a holistic and a unifi ed phenomenon, which is especially acute in the world of science since the 80s of the last century.
The debatable issues are also ideological origins of the Enlightenment, which are revealed in this article.
Enlightenment, Europe, Ancient Rome, origins, philosophy, knowledge popularization, secularism, antidogmatism, faith in reason, humanism