The Enlightenment era in Europe began with the publication of René Descartes' "Discourse on the Method" in 1637, which emphasized reason as the primary source of knowledge. This period marked a shift from feudalistic and religious paradigms towards rationalistic and scientific approaches to understanding the world and human society. Enlightenment thinkers such as John Locke, Voltaire, and Immanuel Kant questioned traditional authority and proposed ideas about individual rights, democracy, and secular governance. This intellectual revolution laid the groundwork for subsequent social and political changes, including the American and French Revolutions, thus fundamentally reshaping European thought and society.