Perspective

The story of the enlightenment is told in a synoptic manner, and the author assumes that the reader has some knowledge of the period. The author is clearly sympathetic with the overall flavor of Enlightenment thinking, though it is not at all clear how deep this sympathy runs. The author is a historian and is concerned with the historical details of the Enlightenment as well as the interrelationships between different Enlightenment thinkers. This book is meant to be an introductory study, though some issues are investigated in depth. It is clear though that the author is not attempting to develop any special theory of the Enlightenment, rather he is merely trying to present a survey for someone who wants to learn more about the Enlightenment, that is, someone who has some knowledge of the period but is by no means an expert.

At the end of the book...