Definition
In David Deutsch’s framing, the Enlightenment is the cultural transition toward criticism, fallibilism, and the expectation that problems are soluble through knowledge creation.
Why It Matters
The Enlightenment was the ‘beginning of infinity’—the realization that all problems are solvable given the right knowledge. This mindset is the ultimate driver of human progress, replacing blind tradition with a systematic quest for better explanations and universal improvement.
Core Concepts
- Criticism over authority: Knowledge improves when traditions can be challenged.
- Optimism as method: Problems are soluble when the right knowledge can be created.
- Institutional importance: Science, liberal institutions, and open debate preserve error-correction.