What philosophical movement is associated with the idea that human reason can solve humanity's problems?

The Enlightenment is closely associated with the belief that human reason is capable of addressing and resolving the challenges faced by humanity. This philosophical movement emerged in the late 17th and 18th centuries, emphasizing reason, science, and intellectual interchange as the primary means to improve society. Enlightenment thinkers advocated for the use of rationality to challenge traditional authority and to question established norms, leading to advancements in various fields, including politics, ethics, and science.

Figures like John Locke, Voltaire, and Immanuel Kant during this period argued that through reason, individuals could achieve enlightenment, personal liberty, and ultimately, societal progress. The emphasis on human beings as capable of creating a better world through informed choices and rational thought had profound effects on subsequent political developments, including revolutions and the establishment of democratic governance.

In contrast, the Renaissance was primarily focused on a revival of classical learning and arts, Romanticism placed emphasis on emotion and individual experience over reason, while Existentialism is a 20th-century movement focused on individual existence, freedom, and the meaning of life. These other movements do not share the same foundational belief in the power of reason to solve societal issues that is central to the Enlightenment.