Wednesday Wisdom

WHO?

Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette was a French aristocrat and military officer born in 1657 in Chaviano, France. Lafayette received a comprehensive education typical of French nobility, which included classical studies, philosophy, and military training. He was influenced by great thinkers of the enlightenment like John Locke and Montesquieu. Locke's ideas about natural rights, government by consent, and the social contract were foundational to Enlightenment thinking, while Montesquieu’s ideas about the separation of powers and checks and balances in government also had a significant impact on Lafayette’s understanding of political philosophy.

Lafayette met Benjaman Franklin in Paris in 1776, who as an ambassador was seeking to enlist the help of the French in Ameria’s quest for independence. Franklin's presence and persuasive advocacy for the American cause helped solidify Lafayette's decision to join the fight for American independence. Inspired by Enlightenment ideals and the concept of individual liberty, at just 19 years of age, Lafayette joined the fight for freedom from an English monarch.

After an arduous trans-Atlantic sail, he arrived in South Carolina and made his way to Philadelphia where he offered his services. The continental congress commissioned Lafayette as a major general due to his enthusiasm and willingness accept no pay. General George Washington and Lafayette quickly developed a close bond, with Washington recognizing Lafayette’s enthusiasm and dedication to the American cause. Washington became a mentor and father figure to the young Frenchman, and their relationship grew into a lasting friendship.

What he produced

On July 4th, 1776, the United States declared its independence for England with a seminal document mostly penned by Thomas Jefferson. John Locke's writings were foundational to Thomas Jefferson's thinking on natural rights, government by consent of the governed, and the right of people to alter or abolish oppressive governments. Jefferson particularly drew on Locke's ideas regarding individual rights to life, liberty, and Rousseau's work influenced Jefferson's understanding of popular sovereignty and the idea that legitimate political authority derives from the consent of the governed. Rousseau's concept of the general will also resonated with Jefferson's belief in the importance of public opinion and Montesquieu's exploration of separation of powers and checks and balances in government had a significant impact on Jefferson's views on the structure of government. Jefferson, like many of his contemporaries, believed in the necessity of limiting governmental power through a system of balanced branches. These works, among others, provided Jefferson with the philosophical and political foundations upon which he crafted the Declaration of Independence, articulating the principles of natural rights, popular sovereignty, and the right to revolution that continue to influence democratic thought today.

The Siege of Yorktown was a decisive victory for the American and French forces over the British, effectively ending the American Revolutionary War. Lafayette played a significant role in the victory at Yorktown, commanding American troops alongside General George Washington and coordinating with French forces under General Rochambeau. Following the Siege of Yorktown in 1781, the Marquis de Lafayette returned to France.

The "Rights of Man and of the Citizen" ("Déclaration des droits de l'homme et du citoyen") is a fundamental document of the French Revolution, adopted by the National Constituent Assembly in 1789. It was influenced by Enlightenment philosophy and a very similar document the American Declaration of Independence. Primarily drafted by the Marquis de Lafayette it underwent revisions and contributions from various members of the National Assembly during the French Revolution. It influenced subsequent human rights declarations, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations in 1948.

2024 why do we care?

Sharing the same philosophical principles of the enlightenment, The United States and France differed immensely after their revolutions. The decade following the “Rights of man and Citizens”, saw a reign of terror in France as the country went from a monarchy to a constitutional monarch and finally to a coup and an emperor in Napolean Bonaparte. The United States meanwhile needed a 14th and 19th amendments to the Constitution to live up to the ideals of “All men are created equal”.

While these extraordinary documents serve as a foundation for our democracies, its takes men and woman of courage, leadership and values to keep it running. As we celebrate the 248th birthday of the United States of America, it worth remembering the special bond between the two nations and the ethics and philosophy principles of the enlightenment that guide us.

And now you know...

Philosophy is the art of thinking, the building block of progress that shapes critical thinking across economics, ethics, religion, and science. 

Thanks, Dad, for the gift of curiosity,

METAPHYSICS: Literally, the term metaphysics means ‘beyond the physical.’ Typically, this is the branch that most people think of when they picture philosophy. In metaphysics, the goal is to answer the what and how questions in life. Who are we, and what are time and space?

LOGIC: The study of reasoning. Much like metaphysics, understanding logic helps to understand and appreciate how we perceive the rest of our world. More than that, it provides a foundation for which to build and interpret arguments and analyses. 

ETHICS: The study of morality, right and wrong, good and evil. Ethics tackles difficult conversations by adding weight to actions and decisions. Politics takes ethics to a larger scale, applying it to a group (or groups) of people. Political philosophers study political governments, laws, justice, authority, rights, liberty, ethics, and much more.

AESTHETICS: What is beautiful? Philosophers try to understand, qualify, and quantify what makes art what it is. Aesthetics also takes a deeper look at the artwork itself, trying to understand the meaning behind it, both art as a whole and art on an individual level. A question an aesthetics philosopher would seek to address is whether or not beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder.

EPISTEMOLOGY: This is the study and understanding of knowledge. The main question is how do we know? We can question the limitations of logic, how comprehension works, and the ability (or perception) to be certain.a 3