Which of the following philosophies directly contributed to the start of the enlightenment in the 17th century? a. nietzsche's theory of nihilism, in which it is believed life has no meaning b. montesquieu's idea of dividing political power among several branches of government c. aquinas's arguments for the existence of god and his definitions of the nature of god d. hobbes's theory that all men are inherently evil and need a single all-powerful monarch to rule over them

The correct answer is D) Hobbes's theory that all men are inherently evil and need a single all-powerful monarch to rule over them.

The philosophy that directly contributed to the start of the Enlightenment in the 17th century was "Hobbes's theory that all men are inherently evil and need a single all-powerful monarch to rule over them."

One of the greatest thinkers of the 17th century was the English philosopher Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679). With his political ideas expressed in "Leviathan" of 1651, he proposed the idea of the government as a protector of society. Citizens should cede some of its freedom in exchange for the protection from the government. He had a name for this concept: social contract.