Final answer:
Enlightenment thinkers rejected superstitious beliefs, advocating instead for reason and scientific methods. Influential figures like Locke and Rousseau promoted human rights and social contracts, while cosmopolitanism captured their view of global citizenship and rational engagement with the world.
Step-by-step explanation:
Enlightenment thinkers rejected superstitious beliefs that were contrary to the evidence-based scientific approach that they advocated. They championed the use of reason and the scientific method to understand and improve the world. These intellectuals sought to apply empirical observation and rational thought not just to physical nature, but also to human institutions and societies. Political theorists such as John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau advanced the idea of a social contract and argued for the protection of individual freedoms and human rights.
Enlightenment philosophy also gave birth to the concept of cosmopolitanism, the idea that individuals are citizens of the world, engaging critically and rationally with their surroundings. Essential to Enlightenment thought was a sense of progress, where through the application of reason and science, humanity was seen to be capable of continuous improvement, moving away from a past characterized by ignorance and tyranny.
Ultimately, Enlightenment ideas provided a framework for criticizing and overcoming the superstitious beliefs of the time, facilitating a transformative period in human history that led to revolutions in political, social, and scientific realms.