2013-2 Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790.ppt

On American culture and values - Benjamin Franklin and the American Dream (an upward social mobility) - Interpretation American pragmatism from Franklin’s life experience - The Pragmatism and the Autobiography On Utilitarianism in Autobiography - On the criticism from Mark Twain, Hawthorne, and Lawrence. American Literature 2013 Lecture 2 Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) Benjamin Franklin: The main points: I. Background of Revolutionary Age II. Benjamin Franklin’s life and works III. His works IV. Franklin’s criticism I. American Revolution (1765- 1800) In 1775, the Independent War broke out. In 1776, declaring Independence. The first 13 colonies An Age of Reason and Enlightenment - Enlightenment is a form of rationalism, which produced new types of men, including scientists, political philosophers, religious rationalists. E.g. Newtonian ideas -- the general symbol of world outlook in Enlightenment thinking, which promulgate a humanist epistemology. - Know then Thy-self, presume not God to scan; the proper study of Mankind is man. (Alexander Pope Essay on Man) - The New World (the first 13 colonies) demonstrated the theological certainties of Newton and the evidence of an omnipresent God in the natural world, liberalized the strict Puritan doctrines and led to the Great Awakening. - New ideas: Man can be perfected through education. All men are created equal. God began life but men must use reason to understand their world. Deism: a benevolent God who is manifest in nature and who can be best served by people doing good to fellow men. (a natural religion). - A new image of God (different from Puritanism). God is revealed in nature, not in the Bible. Deism by Thomas Jefferson: The doctrines of Jesus are simple, and tend all to the happiness of man. 1.That there is only one god, and he is all-perfect. 2.That there is a future state of rewards and punishments. 3.That to love God with all thy heart and thy neighbor as t