compose a critique of the Enlightenment project, identifying a specific, modern example to evaluate its success or failure.

Enlightenment Assessment Essay Topic

The centuries between the 17th century and our contemporary world began with an early, optimistic outlook of hope and promise of a better future, exemplified by movements like The Enlightenment, The Scientific and Industrial Revolutions, culminating in the Information Age, Environmental awareness and Globalization.

However, the period is also scarred with false starts and failures, violent schisms, world wars, imperialism, terrorism, irrational nationalism, extreme religious fervor, information overload, pollution and the threat of nuclear annihilation that indicate a failure of the rational model promised by the Enlightenment.

Students should consider this dichotomy of hope and failure, of promise and disappointment, and compose a critique of the Enlightenment project, identifying a specific, modern example to evaluate its success or failure. Examples can be political, economic, social, or artistic.