Which philosophical movement emphasized reason and individualism over tradition during the Enlightenment?

The philosophical movement that emphasized reason and individualism over tradition during the Enlightenment is Rationalism. This movement posited that reason is the primary source of knowledge and that individuals can attain truth through logical deduction, independent of traditional authorities such as the church or monarchy. Key figures associated with Rationalism, such as René Descartes and Baruch Spinoza, argued for the power of human intellect and the importance of questioning established norms and beliefs.

In contrast, Empiricism, while also a significant philosophical approach during the Enlightenment, focused more on knowledge derived from sensory experience rather than innate ideas, thus not aligning as closely with the celebration of reason and individual thought. Romanticism arose after the Enlightenment and emphasized emotion and nature, prioritizing personal experience and intuition over reason and individualism. Utilitarianism, associated with thinkers like Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill, centered on the principle of the greatest happiness for the greatest number, incorporating both reason and social benefits rather than focusing primarily on individualism. Thus, Rationalism stands out as the movement most closely tied to the values of reason and individualism during this transformative period in history.