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human rights. Obviously, the social basis of the Enlightenment was the
bourgeoisie. It is significant that most of the great thinkers of the time were the
representatives of different social strata by origin (Diderot, Rousseau, Lessing
etc.).

It should be noted that the Enlightenment was also the result of the European
rationalist ideas that were the core of the philosophical thought in the XVIIth
centruy and established in bourgeois rationalism of the Enlightenment at the

household level of the social consciousness as a ‘common sense’.

2. Western European Enlightenment: philosophical aspects

Major political, philosophical and aesthetic standards were developed in the
Enlightenment culture of England in the late XVII century. The real centre of the
Enlightenment was France where this ideology flourished not only theoretically,

but also directly was out into practice during the Great French Revolution 1789-
1794. It should be noted that the culture of the XVIIIth century generally tended to
cosmopolitanism, and many leaders of the Enlightenment could call themselves
‘citizens of the Universe’. The intellectual elites of the time appreciated the

opportunity to exchange views, the idea of creating such a ‘literary republic’ - the
spiritual and ideological fraternity of advanced people of all countries.

The philosophy of the Enlightenment also had an international character. For
example, Diderot worked on the translation and promotion of works of the British
philosophers in France. Voltaire inspired many young Russian nobles who called
themselves ‘Voltairians’.

The philosophical views of the Enlightenment were based on some general
principles. Firstly, it's a pronounced tendency to materialism, treating the matter as
the only existing reality (K. Helvetius , Diderot, P. Holbach ). In the development

of the theory of knowledge philosophy of sensualism (John Locke ) played a large
role: ‘The only source of knowledge recognized was experience, which is mostly
due to the influence of the outside world on our sense of perception’. John Locke,

rejecting the Cartesian (rationalism of Descartes P.) existence of innate ideas,
initiated the enlightenment ideas about the human nature. The great French
educator Jean Jacques Rousseau in his novel - treatise ‘Emile’ wrote: ‘Everything

is beautiful when coming out of the hands of the Creator, all is spoiled in the hands
of man’. John Locke believed that people are born with a completely clear mind
and consciousness, devoid of defects or virtues being a ‘clean slate ‘ on which
experiences leave their footprint. Rousseau slightly corrected this view since

‘natural person and her associated unbreakable bonds with the nature’ are clean
because people bear inclinations to virtue rather than defects. Nature can be
vicious, it is initially virtuous and intelligent, the society makes it vicious. It is

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