The term was created by Europeans. Many other civilizations made great progress through their scientific inventions. Their eras of progress did not always coincide with the European enlightenment but they still happened. Most of the history we read is written by Europeans therefore it is eurocentric and often leaves out or almost ignores the accomplishments of other civilizations.

I am sure that there were people with "enlightenment" ideas long before the actual enlightenment but it was dangerous to contradict the official church doctrine. it's time had come. "came out of nothing, bolt of lightening, miracle " ?. What a load of nonsense.

I have a book on my bookshelf " The Scottish enlightenment, the Scots invention of the modern world" by American Arthur Herman. I think you should get a copy and read it. You will learn a lot.

This endless rehashing of theological based "how many needles fitting of head of pin" trivia is way beyond tiresome. Your own beloved Sam Harris has pointed out to you that in todays world agnosticism / atheism is largely a dead horse you kick, merely the pretext for intelligent men to assemble and discuss other more relevant matters. The modern radical fascist- left has activated the insane republican- fascist right, the blacks have usurped the public square for their inane handout grasping drivel, the biosphere is perishing, civilization is in collapse. Why are you terrified to talk of these matters?

The scientific revolution was definitely NOT a miracle. The progression of human thought and learning towards a logical, self-correcting, and fact-based investigation of nature emerged as a result of the evolution of a big brain with massive problem solving capacity. The scientific method evolved for reasons similar to why the brain evolved: because they both have adaptive value. They both increase the survival probabilities of individuals. And this revolution is not even complete (yet). Rates of scientific literacy are still low in many places around the world (e.g. Texas, Alabama, etc.).

“Noel Joseph Terence Montgomery Needham CH FRS FBA[1] (/ˈniːdəm/; 9 December 1900 – 24 March 1995) was a British biochemist, historian of science and sinologist known for his scientific research and writing on the history of Chinese science and technology, initiating publication of the multivolume Science and Civilisation in China. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1941, and a fellow of the British Academy in 1971. In 1992, Queen Elizabeth II conferred on him the Companionship of Honour, and the Royal Society noted he was the only living person to hold these three titles. “

Johannes Gutenberg did not invent printing in the 14th century it was invented by the Chinese in AD 700 as was many other inventions and discoveries that are claimed to be of western origin. The earliest known written records of the history of China date from as early as 1250 BC.

I learned in Anthropology there's 6 to 8 virgin births in South America most years. That's because girls give their BFs hand jobs so they can hang onto their hymen until marriage. But sometimes they don't clean their hands and then take care of themselves. Uh oh, some of those little swimmers can go the distance.

How much of a miracle is it when other Gods came into being in the same way? i.e. Horus comes to mind.

Nothing comes from nothing. The Renaissance and the Age of Enlightenment had their precursors, which included a number of Catholic theologian philosophers, and the rediscovery of Greek philosophy and mathematics as well as science from the Arab world and Persia.

You are still on this superiority of the white male European screed?

This is kinda stupid. Science breakthroughs came through trial and error. And just travelled better through Europe because of established trade networks. China had many science breakthroughs but kinda kept them to themselves. As did the Arab land. Our number system is Arabic.

Really Matias , I think you must be getting very desperate for something to post. That is a very silly strawman view of the common secular view of history.

Do you really think that most, "atheists and secular humanists", imagine that the enlightenment suddenly appeared, as a bolt of lightening out of the blue in the Renaissance, and have no knowledge at all of the contributions made by, medieval Jewish and Islamic scholars or of the effects of Indian Mathematics on the medieval world, of the partial survival of classical philosophy through the middle ages, the effects of the printing press and the fact that technical advances even small ones, can bring rapid increases in knowledge , which bring more knowledge in a feedback loop. Plus the mind widening benefits of increasing trade and travel. Or even that it is possible that atheists believe in miracles, and would not look for secular causes, and assume they could be found, even if they lacked personal knowledge of the historical details.

This is very silly , but all credit to you for not caring about looking clownish, in the name of being contentious. Every group needs one.

She was actually suffering from hermaphroditism!!!

Which could explain the so call virgin birth!!!

All in all the most likely and the most promising answers to the obviously benign question which would even be considered a miracle in this day and age!!!

That is why she was obviously a virgin!!!