enlightenment

Noun B2 – Upper-Intermediate

An intellectual movement, particularly in 18th-century Europe, that emphasized reason, science, and individual rights over tradition and religious authority.

"Thinkers of the Enlightenment argued that government should be based on reason and the consent of the governed."

Capitalized as 'the Enlightenment', the word refers to this specific historical movement rather than the general idea of gaining insight.