Thomas Paine: Faith and Reason

1202 Words3 Pages

The issue of Faith versus Reason and the relationship between them has been discussed throughout civilization. A prime figure in this discussion during the recent past, the mid 18’th to the early 19’th centuries, was Thomas Paine. Paine’s writings during both the United States and French revolutions helped to spearhead the respective countries into revolution and eventually freedom. As such, Paine is certainly seen as an influential figure during this time period for practical reasons. But Paine is equally important because of the way in which he influenced entire countries and helped to bring about change. Paine’s approach to doing this shows the distinction between faith and reason as well as how the two can coexist together and accomplish a great many things. To adequately see this relationship it is necessary to look at the way Thomas Paine lived as well as his writings and then to compare how these two things relate and affected the world as a whole. In this way it is possible to get a clear view of the relationship between faith and reason and how it relates to a time period and a man.

The issue of faith versus reason is clearly evident throughout Paine’s life as much of his life seemed to focus on conflicts and contradictions. Paine was born in 1737 in Thetford, England in a relatively poor section of the city. It is speculated that this poorer upbringing combined with the rather brutal and tyrannous rule of the local Duke set the basis for Paine’s later crusades against those in power and quests in favor of equality and protection for the lower class. Much of Paine’s early life was spent wandering from place to place and station to station without ever really finding a niche. His formal education lasted u...

... middle of paper ...

... be used to advance the other. Unfortunately it is unclear, because of the unstable nature of the man himself, whether or not Paine was even ever conscious of his own inconsistencies or of the conflict between his own writings and belief system.

Bibliography

- Barnes, Michael, Paul Benson. ASI 102 Reader. American Heritage Custom Publishing,

1997.

- McKay, P. John, Bennet D. Hill, John Buckler. A History of Western Society. 5th ed.

Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1995.

- Paine, Thomas. Common Sense.

http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/milestones/commonsense/index.html (April

1998)

- Paine, Thomas. The Life and Writings of Thomas Paine. Vincent Park and Company.

New York: 1908.

- The Scientific Revolution and the Age of Enlightenment.

http://www.foxberry.net/rbutler/scientific.html (March 1998)

Open Document