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The natural ability to understand – to shine light on things – a natural light within.
“Lumen naturale” is a Latin term that translates to “natural light.” In the context of the Enlightenment, philosophers often used this concept to represent reason and knowledge that comes from nature and human intellect rather than relying solely on religious or traditional authorities.

Enlightenment thinkers believed in the power of reason and rationality to discover truths about the world. They saw the human mind as capable of understanding and improving society through the application of logic and scientific inquiry. The term “lumen naturale” reflects the idea that there is an inherent, natural capacity for humans to gain knowledge and insight through reason, independent of divine revelation.

This concept played a significant role in shaping the intellectual landscape of the Enlightenment, emphasizing the importance of human agency and critical thinking in the pursuit of knowledge and progress.

Further References

Jacquette, D.. (1996). Descartes’ Lumen Naturale and the Cartesian Circle. Philosophy and Theology, 9(3), 273–320.

→ Alphanumerical DOI: 10.5840/philtheol199693/41 • DOI URL • Download via SciHub • Translation • Forward • Format • BibTeX • Citation Network Graph • Scite AI

↕ Abstract

“The author argues that descartes is not trapped inside the cartesian circle. the essay rehearses descartes’ argument against the ‘evil demon’ hypothesis. the so-called cartesian circle is described and some of the most prominent discussions of the problem are evaluated. such arguments tend either to leave descartes in the circle, or themselves depend upon distinctions that in the end lead to descartes claiming something less than metaphysical certainty for his system. the author argues that descartes’ real archimedian point is the light of nature, and that his project is to extend the certainty of the light of nature to those ideas which are clear and distinct. using this interpretation of descartes, the author returns to the accounts of the critics to account for their mischaracterization of descartes’ reasoning as circular.”

Apel, M.. (1950). Lagarde, Paul Anton de– lumen naturale. In Philosophisches Wörterbuch (pp. 151–157). Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter

→ Alphanumerical DOI: 10.1515/9783111380001-012 • DOI URL • Download via SciHub • Forward • Format • BibTeX • Citation Network Graph • Scite AI

Opahle, O.. (1952). Die Lehre vom „lumen naturale“ in ihrer Bedeutung für die Pädagogik. Vierteljahrsschrift Für Wissenschaftliche Pädagogik, 28(2), 115–124.

→ Alphanumerical DOI: 10.30965/25890581-02802005 • DOI URL • Download via SciHub • Forward • Format • BibTeX • Citation Network Graph • Scite AI