Enlightenment emerged in the late 17th and 18th centuries when people started thinking about the world in new way. It is related to the development of new philosophy around human being and their thoughts.

While developing these philosophies the emphasis was on the human beings and their rational thoughts.

Human beings have the ability to think rationally and critically about anything or any person which has developed them as producers and user of all types of knowledge so we refer them as the “knowing subject”.

Enlightenment helps in developing attitude of mind which is secular, scientific and humanistic and this thinking was very important for the development of sociology.