I. Introductiona. The medieval world, epitomized by Thomas Aquinas, had an unshakable belief in religious doctrine and viewed the Great Chain of Being as the concept that gave absolute structure to society.b. The world of philosophersc. The commonly attributed difference between the two. Becker's arguments. The philosophers of the 18th century were more like theologians of the 13th century than humans today. ii. Eighteenth-century philosophers, he argues, were (perhaps unconsciously) trying to deconstruct the celestial city of the old religious order and rebuild it on earth. By substituting progressivism for chiliasm, they have only changed the location of heaven, making a utopia achievable on earth rather than after death. iii. Becker's argument is this: while 18th-century philosophers shifted their attitudes from chiliasm to progressivism, this shift was more about tone and presumed intent than substance and argument. Overall, the changes that occurred were the reconstruction of ancient Christian arguments, the replacement of "God" with "human nature", and the repurposing of the Heavenly City of St. Augustine for "rational" purposes. . My arguments. Becker seems to expect philosophers to completely avoid all conventions and conceptions of the past. ii. But history has proven that no generation of thinkers can achieve this. iii. While some believe that the Philosophers are a great exception who propelled generations of civilization forward, most serious students of history would realize that this is impossible iv. To the extent that Becker claims that contemporary historians attribute too incisive a character to philosophers, he succeeds wonderfully.1. "My aim therefore is to provide an explanation of the 18th century... middle of paper ......ine designed by the Supreme Being according to a rational plan" c. They considered the Garden of Eden a myth, but nevertheless idealized the Romans and Greeks as perfect beings and the beginning of the "dark ages" as a kind of fall from grace. They denied the importance of the Church or the Bible but had a naive faith in reason and nature. They “dismantled the sky…[but] retained their faith in the immortality of the soul.” vii. Ultimately, "the underlying preconceptions of the 18th century were still...essentially the same as those of the 13th century." viii. “The Philosophers demolished the Celestial City of Saint-Augustin to rebuild it with more modern materials. » f. Evaluation of Becker's Argument So FarIII. Nature or God?i. Becker claims that philosophers were inspired by "the Christian ideal of service, the humanitarian impulse to put things right »..”