Student Paper F99-1-5
Fall 1999, Section I
Reviewers Comments

Arrogance Disassembled

What was the cause of human progression in the 16^th and 17^th centuries? Well, when asked this question many reason's will pop into ones head. But the one cause that is most prevalent is education. Education took a society that was at the brink of hell and brought them into the light that is known as the idea! There should be a day that celebrates Johann Gutenberg because without his invention of the printing press, where would society be today? Literacy in society shot up after Gutenberg's invention gained in numbers. Reading became more accessible so education became more accessible. With education comes ideas and with ideas progression is inevitable.

When you give a society education you give it the ability to create and think for itself. No longer is it willing to just sit back and let a higher power tell it what to do.¹ Galileo Galilei in 1632 wrote the "Dialogues on the Two Chief Systems of the World" where he went against the Catholic Church. Galileo went against the arrogance of the world he fought for free thought. When the world lost the idea that earth was the center of the universe, the idea of power changed. A small scientist went up against the most powerful entity in Europe at the time, and with the scientific method proved the Catholic Church wrong. In doing so he also proved that arrogance was the theme for power. He also proved that the freedom of thought can even overthrow the highest authority.

Charles Darwin's Theory of evolution came about in the 19^th century but nonetheless he also went against the arrogance of the world.² When he published "The Origin of Species" he basically introduced a new way of thinking. His new perspective on creation did not go against God. It really proves there is an all powerful being that could achieve such a complex process. The people who believe in Darwin's theory of evolution truly believe that God and evolution do not contradict one another, in fact they complement. But still no matter how many times Darwin's true perspective on creation is discussed many people still are truly arrogant and shallow with their thought process stating that they did not come from an ape, or Homo Erectus, or a Neanderthal. For those people have still not undergone human progression. All in all though Darwin helped the progression of human society because his theory allowed all of society to think about one thing that until 1851 was never even considered controversial.

Human progression was brought on by education, without education how can anyone progress? Whether it is public education or self education it is still the gaining of knowledge of the world around you. And in the 16^th and 17^th centuries that is what everyone was at least trying to do. Better ways of doing things came about because people actually wanted to make things more efficient and civilized. Traditional ways were losing clout and the new and improved ways were gaining respect. Philosophers were the free thinkers of their time they were the ones who were really breaking with tradition and learning more about the world around them, probably more so then anyone. Thanks to philosophers who looked at the world and reported in detail what they saw and how it affected man kind. Without them we could not fully educate ourselves on the many perspectives of the world. Philosophers changed society be giving it perspectives to agree with or disagree with.³ Take Thomas Hobbes for example most of his ideas, well political ideas of the time were not agreed on simply because society had learned by that point that he was wrong. Monarchy was not the most progressive form of government. In fact it had been proven to be detrimental to society a civil war broke out in England and in France there was a revolution. These horrific displays of revolt were caused simply because the question was asked, should one person have complete control over everyone in a certain sovereign, should the sovereign have the power to kill a man if he sees fit to do so.⁴ Thomas Hobbes believed that the sovereign should have complete rule, the rights of society placed in the sovereign's hand. Society should have no rights because society is evil and if given any freedoms society will become nothing but chaos.⁵ English society obviously disagreed with Thomas Hobbes because Hobbes had to flee to Paris in fear of his life.

Society had it's own ideas they had found the wonderful road to knowledge and society had started making it's own decisions and believing they had rights that the government should provide. John Locke is another person that today's society should hold a day to celebrate his influence. He and he alone came up with the idea of constitutional government. Monarchy is so arrogant, to actually believe that by the grace of God one human being has complete control over millions of souls.⁶ Locke's thought was that government was there to referee arguments, to keep order of natural rights. Unlike Hobbes, Locke believed that man was peaceful by nature, that any evil that was in a human was taught by the world. Locke's ideas make since, his beliefs are a more civilized way of looking at government. Locke's theory allows society the freedom of thought and the ability to let an idea grow into a reality. Constitutional government, a government for the people.

The education of man also helps with the onset of constitutional government. Education helps create ideas. An absolute ruler could keep ideas away from people. Man will seek to be free, mankind will fight to gain control of life, and in doing this will put into motion a government structure that will assure the rights of man. Mankind will free itself People wanted to think for themselves and needed a government that allowed them to.

Education is the fundamental reason for human progression. Through the power of education a new world was born. A world where the sun became the center of the universe, free thought was expressed, and a new form of government was introduced. Education disassembled the arrogance that had ruled. Free will overpowered the authority of the past and in it's place left a society where mankind has rights and the knowledge that proved mankind was worth the right of liberty.

¹Galileo Galilei, Overview, www2.tltc.ttu.edu/kelly/pew/1301fsyl.htm

²Charles Darwin, The Origin of Species, www2.tltc.ttu.edu/kelly/pew/130lfsyl.htm

³Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, www2.tltc.ttu.edu/kelly/pew/130lfsyl.htm

⁴Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, www2.tltc.ttu.edu/kelly/pew/130lfsyl.htm

⁵Thomas Hobbes, Overview, www2.tltc.ttu.edu/kelly/pew/1301fsyl.htm

⁶John Locke, Nature of Man, www2.tltc.ttu.edu/kelly/pew/l301fsyl.htm

Bibliography

Kelly, Mills "Overview of Galileo Galilei" www2.tltc.ttu.edu/kelly/pew/130lfsyl.htm

Darwin, Charles "The Origin of Species" www2.tltc.ttu.edu/kelly/pew/1301fsyl.htm

Hobbes, Thomas "Leviathan" www2.tltc.ttu.edu/kelly/pew/l301fsyl.htm

Hobbes, Thomas "Leviathan" www2.tltc.ttu.edu/kelly/pew/130lfsyl.htm

Kelly, Mills "Overview of Thomas Hobbes" www2.tltc.ttu.edu/kelly/pew/130lfsyl.htm

Locke, John "Nature of Man" www2.tltc.ttu.edu/kelly/pew/1301fsyl.htm