In the second chapter of Common Sense, Paine wrote: "Society is produced by our wants, and government by our wickedness; the former promotes our happiness Positively by uniting our affections, the latter negatively by restraining our vices." Also, Paine's philosophy was also unusually critical, compared with the singers of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, in its uncompromising embrace of a non-theologically-based state order, a state based upon the concept of the author's beloved vale of reason. The value of reason vs. religious ideation was a popular concept during the Enlightenment amongst some European philosophers, but a controversial one on a mass level -- still, Paine was unafraid to advocate the idea of religious belief always being subordinate to political doctrines that could be justified through logic. This is important to remember when issues of religion are debated today, in the contemporary public discourse. It is interesting to remember Paine's rhetoric, and reflect that some of his ideas in criticism of religion would make the author 'unelectable' to higher office even today, when some profession of faith is usually required and demanded of contemporary politicians. In fact, one could even argue that the critical stance towards religion taken by Thomas Paine in "The Age of Reason" might suggest that religious faith was incompatible with the Revolutionary fervor, the type of zealous purist of the democracy of the masses for which Paine earlier gained fame....
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now