What ideological shift occurred in Europe as a consequence of the Enlightenment?

The Enlightenment was a significant intellectual movement that emerged in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries, emphasizing reason, individualism, and skepticism of traditional authority. This period marked a pivotal shift towards the advancement of scientific method and rational thought, which fundamentally altered how knowledge was perceived and pursued. Enlightenment thinkers championed the idea that human beings could understand and improve their world through reason and empirical evidence rather than reliance on superstition, tradition, or divine authority.

Prominent figures such as John Locke, Voltaire, and Isaac Newton played crucial roles in promoting these ideas. The scientific method became a widely accepted approach, encouraging observation, hypothesis, experimentation, and conclusion as key steps in acquiring knowledge. As a result, the Enlightenment fostered advancements in various fields such as science, philosophy, and politics, leading to the birth of modern democracy and secularism.

This ideological shift greatly contributed to the questioning of absolute monarchies and feudal systems, instead promoting concepts like democracy and individual rights. Therefore, the answer highlighting the advancement of scientific method and rational thought accurately reflects the transformative impact of the Enlightenment period on European ideology.