Final answer:
Enlightenment thinkers believed in using science and reason, supported by empirical methods and rational deduction, to understand the truth. Influenced by the scientific revolution, they developed the scientific method to systematically gain knowledge, which underpinned advancements in a variety of fields.
Step-by-step explanation:
Enlightenment thinkers believed that the key to finding truth was through a rigorous application of science and reason. Influenced by the scientific revolutions, they sought to apply the same empirical and rational principles to human institutions and the natural world. Enlightenment figures like Newton demonstrated that the universe operated on universal and unchanging laws, providing a model for Enlightenment philosophy.
Philosophers such as Francis Bacon and John Locke emphasized empirical methods as crucial for gaining knowledge, which led to the establishment of the scientific method. Rationalism and empiricism were two pillars of Enlightenment thought that prioritized logic and sensory experience, respectively, as pathways to knowledge. The scientific method embodied the objective application of these principles to understanding and improving the world.
Rationalism, empiricism, progressivism, and cosmopolitanism were central ideas of the Enlightenment. Thinkers like René Descartes and Immanuel Kant were foundational in their emphasis on reason as a source of knowledge. This era of thought significantly contributed to advancements in science and philosophy and provided frameworks like social contract theory, which addressed the roles and rights of individuals in society.