A Revolution of the Mind: Radical Enlightenment and the Intellectual Origins of Modern Democracy » (New Edition)

Jonathan Israel is professor of modern history at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. He is in the process of finishing a monumental three-volume history of the Radical Enlightenment, the first two volumes of which, "Radical Enlightenment" and "Enlightenment Contested", have already been published.

"This book succeeds beautifully. Written with confidence and concision, it lays out Jonathan Israel's central ideas about the Radical Enlightenment and its fundamental importance in shaping the values of democratic modernity. Those who already know his work will find a clear and bold statement of his principal arguments, as well as important elaborations and expansions. Those unfamiliar with his scholarship will get a masterful introduction to the work of one of the leading Enlightenment scholars in the world today."--Darrin M. McMahon, Florida State University

"Interesting, erudite, and provocative, this book provides readers with a succinct and clear introduction to Jonathan Israel's wide-ranging work on the Radical Enlightenment. It should command a broad readership."--James Schmidt, Boston University

Choice

Israel's new book is a breathtaking rethinking of the Enlightenment and its impact in the modern world.

Ch. I Progress and the Enlightenment's Two Conflicting Ways of Improving the World 1

Ch. II Democracy or Social Hierarchy? The Political Rift 37

Ch. III The Problem of Equality and Inequality: The Rise of Economics 92

Ch. IV The Enlightenment's Critique of War and the Quest for "Perpetual Peace" 124

Ch. V Two Kinds of Moral Philosophy in Conflict 154

Ch. VI Voltaire versus Spinoza: The Enlightenment as a Basic Duality of Philosophical Systems 199

Ch. VII Conclusion 221

Notes 243

Index 267