Final answer:
The common assumptions of Enlightenment thinkers were centered around the use of (b) reason and logic to guide societal decisions, (c) the importance of social contract theory for government legitimacy, and the concepts of rationalism, empiricism, progressivism, and cosmopolitanism. They laid the foundational ideas for modern democracy and inspired significant political and social reforms.
Step-by-step explanation:
Common assumptions of Enlightenment thinkers about society predominantly centered around the notion that reason and logic should guide societal decisions. These philosophers, such as John Locke, Voltaire, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, proposed that human reason, in combination with empirical study, would lead to societal progress, science advancements, and the improvement of the human condition. They held that a new moral society could be progressively accomplished by the collective reasoning of civilized societies over time.
Moreover, Enlightenment intellectuals introduced the social contract theory, emphasizing that the legitimacy of a government derives from the consent of the governed and that the protection of individual freedoms was critical. They rejected the notion of absolute monarchy and the divine right of kings in favor of democratic principles, such as liberty, equality, and the separation of church and state. Their ideas championed constitutional government, suggesting that power should be divided and balanced within a government structure.
Other fundamental ideas espoused during the Enlightenment included rationalism, the belief in the power of reason to gain knowledge; empiricism, the idea that knowledge comes from experience and observation; progressivism, the belief in the possibility of continuous improvement; and cosmopolitanism, the concept of being global citizens contributing actively to the world. Notably, Enlightenment thinkers inspired many political and social reforms, including the French Revolution and the development of democratic nations around the world.