Seminar 1: Enlightment: (Dickens)
Characteristics: individual freedom, break with religion.
It was a period with great evolution in science. Humans believed that only reason was what
makes a difference between us and animals, which causes an alienation from nature, a distance.
A denaturalization processes.
Dickens can be identified with the mainstream view, but only with the believe that the reason is
what makes us humans and the grand narrative part. He believes in emotions, because without
them the human being gets objectified, they turn into a nothing more than a mere object.
Dickens exploits sentimentality to attract more readers and sell novels, he also has some political
intentions. With an over exaggeration of emotions, he tries to humanize capitalism, criticizing
the alienation from nature in his novels.
CHARLES DICKENS: SUMMARY OF THE PLOT.
1. What is Gradgrind's philosophy?
Utilitarianism: Utilitarianism is an ethical theory that states that the best action is the one that
maximizes utility.
2. What kind of school he founds?
Mainstream: reason.
• Science.
• Grand narrative of progress.
• Alienation from nature.
People forgot that humans are nature
too
Alternative (Rousseau): Emotion.
• The nature men.
• Nature.
• body
