Extended Summary Of Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism and Progress - By Steven Pinker

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The eighteenth century was a key moment in history and indicated the way in which humanity would develop; those ideals could then continue in force and in full application. Great philosophers like Immanuel Kant began an irreversible change in which reason would become the solution for all the ills of society, beginning by the removal of power by religious manipulation. From reason, humanism and science flourished to give us a deeper understanding of human nature.

Humanism is that Enlightenment thought which posits that all people are equal, and nobody should be above anyone else. This created a new moral to sensitize social systems at all levels, such as government, education and trade. However, despite this radical change and well-being that humanism has brought to the world, some leaders insist on discarding it to the point of denying facts that have been scientifically proven, such as climate change.

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If you are familiar with universal history, you will know that there was a time when bad weather was the product of the fury of the gods, evil creatures reigned in the depths of forests and oceans, and religion looked favorably on torture and murder in the name of faith. Ignorance produced fear and paranoia, and humanity cried out for an invigorating change. The Enlightenment, also known as the age of reason, was the historical and decisive point that shaped the future of Western culture, changing the course to finally emerge from obscurantism.

The pillar of this renovating era was the reason, which gave people the power to free themselves from religious authoritarianism and its manipulative leaders. Reason referred us to everything that were objective facts and not mere unprovable superstitions. For example, before reason entered the picture, slavery was a common practice and was accepted despite its barbarity, because it was justified as being something normal. Applying reason put in this in doubt and, although the process was slow, finally its abolition was the most logical result.

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