PLAN3090: The Enlightenment
"Nasty, Brutish, and Short"
Description
For nearly all of human history, life, as Thomas Hobbes observed, was “nasty, brutish and short.” This began to change in some of the lands of Northern Europe during the 18th century, the era known as the Enlightenment. This interdisciplinary course will focus on the developments of that era, especially as they were experienced in Great Britain. It will examine the evolution of the Enlightenment and its importance to the emergence of the modern world, with a focus on its themes of scientific and technological progress, improved living standards, accountable government, individual human rights, and the revolutionary role of arts and culture in social progress. Students will travel to the United Kingdom, a "cradle land" of the Enlightenment, to visit sites associated with the Enlightenment and meet with representatives of institutions that continue to promote it. For more information on this popular seminar, visit http://ucenlightenment.terrygrundy.info.
Important to Note
This course did not include a study tour in Fall 2018 due to low interest; the class was still offered.
In Fall 2018, this group was set to depart during finals week. It is each student's individual responsibility to contact their instructors as early as possible to find out if it will be possible to make alternate arrangements for any final exams or projects that are scheduled for that week.