Radical Enlightenment: Philosophy and the Making of Modernity 1650-1750 - Book by Jonathan I. Israel

Jonathan I. Israel offers a reinterpretation of the Enlightenment period, focusing on its radical wing and its role in shaping modern political and philosophical thought. Israel argues that the radical Enlightenment, championed by thinkers like Spinoza, promoted secularism, individual liberty, and democratic principles, fundamentally challenging traditional religious and political authorities. He contrasts this with the moderate Enlightenment, which he believes did not fully embrace these revolutionary ideas.