Philosophy of the Modern Age and the Enlightenment

Characteristic Features of Modern Philosophy: Scientism, Naturalism, Pantheism

We now move to the third period in the development of Western European civilization—the Modern Age (17th-18th centuries), when the spirit comes to recognize its own freedom.

In this era, the epistemological dimension and the rational mastery of the world come to the forefront. Science becomes the dominant worldview. A distinctive scientific messianism begins to emerge, establishing the phenomenon of scientism (from the Latin scientia—knowledge, science)—a worldview that exalts the positive influence of science, particularly the natural sciences, on cultural development and progress as a whole. Unlike the religiously oriented worldview of previous eras, the thinkers of the Modern Age sought to explain the world without recourse to the supernatural. Knowledge shifted from reliance on religious authorities to the study of nature itself.

The turn to nature, the desire to penetrate its mysteries and comprehend its laws, became the era's defining slogan, reflecting yet another key characteristic—naturalism. This was a time when leading minds began to contemplate "natural" religion, "natural" law, and "natural" morality. Humanist philosophers developed doctrines aimed at establishing the "kingdom of man." These doctrines stood in clear contrast to the medieval notions of the "kingdom of God," exemplified by Augustine's concept. Humanity was viewed as a natural being, and Enlightenment and Modern Age thinkers relied on principles derived from the natural sciences to explain social phenomena.

Since physics, particularly mechanics, was making the greatest strides among the natural sciences, it profoundly influenced the general worldview of the time, which became characterized by mechanicism. The universe was envisioned as a vast machine, and even society was conceived in mechanistic terms.

Another feature marking the worldview shift of the Modern Age was pantheism—the belief that God is identical with nature. This pantheistic approach allowed for the study of nature without invoking religious authorities or sacred texts. Pantheism gained traction during the Renaissance and remained relevant throughout the Modern Age.