RENAISSANCE

"Renaissance" literally means "rebirth." It refers especially to the rebirth of learning that began in
Europe, from the 14th to the 17th century, regarded as the cultural bridge between the Middle
Ages and modern history. It started as a cultural movement in Italy, specifically in Florence, in
the late medieval period and later spread to the rest of Europe, marking the beginning of the early
modern age. During this period, there was an enormous renewal of interest in and study of
classical antiquity.
Yet the Renaissance was more than a "rebirth." It was also an age of new discoveries, both
geographical (exploration of the New World) and intellectual. Both kinds of discovery resulted
in changes of tremendous import for Western civilization.
 In science, for example, Copernicus (1473-1543) attempted to prove that the sun rather
than the earth was at the center of the planetary system, thus radically altering the cosmic
world view that had dominated antiquity and the Middle Ages.
 In religion, Martin Luther (1483-1546) challenged and ultimately caused the division of
one of the major institutions that had united Europe throughout the Middle Ages--the
Church. In fact, Renaissance thinkers often thought of themselves as ushering in the
modern age, as distinct from the ancient and medieval eras.
 In politics, the Renaissance contributed the development of the conventions of
diplomacy, and in science an increased reliance on observation. Although the
Renaissance saw revolutions in many intellectual pursuits, as well as social and political
upheaval, it is perhaps best known for its artistic developments and the contributions of
such polymaths as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, who inspired the term
“Renaissance man.”
THE HUMANISM
 A doctrine, attitude, or way of life centered on human interests or values. especially : a
philosophy that usually rejects supernaturalism and stresses an individual's dignity and
worth and capacity for self-realization through reason.
 Trusts to the scientific method when it comes to understanding how the universe works
and rejects the idea of the supernatural (and is therefore an atheist or agnostic) makes
their ethical decisions based on reason, empathy, and a concern for human beings and
other sentient animals.
The intellectual basis of the Renaissance was its own invented version of humanism, derived
from the rediscovery of classical Greek philosophy, such as that of Protagoras, who said that
“Man is the measure of all things.” This new thinking became manifest in art, architecture,
politics, science, and literature. Early examples were the development of perspective in oil
painting and the recycled knowledge of how to make concrete. Though availability of paper and
the invention of metal movable type sped the dissemination of ideas from the later 15th century,
the changes of the Renaissance were not uniformly experienced across Europe.
Humanist Philosophers
1. Petrarch (Stoicism)
Petrarch’s primary contribution to Renaissance philosophy is his Stoicism. Ancient Stoics held
that we should avoid desiring the many things that we might ordinarily cherish, such as wealth, a
good job, or a loving family, since obtaining them is so unpredictable. Instead, we should simply
resign ourselves to what fate has in store for us. By desiring these things and fearing their loss,
Petrarch argues, we risk being emotionally tossed around and beaten down like fragile weeds.
2. Pico (Platonism)
A central feature of Pico’s philosophy is a concept that we now call “the great chain of being,”
which was inspired both by Plato and the Neoplatonist philosopher Plotinus. On this view, there
is a spectrum of existing things, from the lowest level of raw matter up to the highest level of
God himself. Between the two extremes of raw matter and God, there are a variety of
intermediary steps. In the following, he describes three basic levels of existence beneath God: the
realm of the angels, then rational creatures with physical bodies, then physical bodies with no
rational element.
3. Thomas More (Epicurianism)
More describes how they hold to the view that pleasure constitutes the main part of human
happiness. While More does not use the word “epicureanism”, the reference to that ancient
Greek school of thought is clear. Epicurus held that “pleasure is the beginning and end of the
good life . . . and it is from pleasure that we begin every choice and avoidance.”
4. Montaigne (Skepticism)
Montaigne was pessimistic about the direction of his culture at the time, rampant as it was with
corruption and violence. Much of the blame, he argued, rested with human nature itself; he
writes that “man is a marvelously vain, inconsistent, and unstable thing, and on whom it is very
hard to form any certain and uniform judgment” (Essays, 1.1). This level of suspicion about
human nature feeds directly into his appreciation of skepticism and the skeptical tradition from
ancient Greece that doubts the capacity of reason to give us knowledge.
THE REFORMATION
 An important influence on the direction of philosophy during the Renaissance is the
Protestant Reformation, which began in Germany as a localized rebellion against the
Catholic Church of Rome that at the time controlled Christianity within Europe. Over the
centuries the Church became increasingly corrupt as Popes fathered children with
mistresses and lived more like worldly kings than spiritual leaders.
 One of the more controversial fund raising techniques of the Church was to sell
certificates called “indulgences” to church goers which would allegedly reduce the time
that they or a loved one would have to spend repenting in purgatory before gaining
entrance into heaven. The instigator of the Reformation was a German monk named
Martin Luther, who, fed up with corruption in the Roman Church, posted a document
containing Theses attacking is abuses. Luther later said, “I would never have thought that
such a storm would rise from Rome over one simple little scrap of paper.” That little
scrap of paper provoked a revolt in Germany, which quickly spread throughout Europe
and then the world. Culturally, the importance of the Protestant Reformation was that it
loosened the grip that the Medieval Church had on European intellectual thought. The
Church kept tight control over which sorts of books could be published, and which
scientific and religious ideas were heretical and potentially punishable by death.
 The Reformation created an intellectual environment outside the influence of medieval
scholasticism and a centralized Church authority. Philosophers from Protestant countries
set aside the writings of Aquinas and other official Catholic philosophers, and explored a
vast array of theories that would otherwise have been considered forbidden.
Many Catholics like Erasmus wanted to reform the Church from within. However, Luther's
disagreements with Church policy ultimately led him to challenge some of the most fundamental
doctrines of the Church, which in turn led him and his followers to break away from the Catholic
Church in protest; hence they were known as Protestants. The Reformation had significant
political ramifications, for it split Europe into Protestant and Catholic countries which often went
to war with each other during this period. Protestantism broke up the institution that had for so
long unified all Europe under the Pope (though there were also national struggles with the
Papacy that had little to do with Protestantism). Among the most important tenets of
Protestantism was the rejection of the Pope as spiritual leader.
THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION
 Scientific discoveries led to major shifts in thinking: Galileo and Descartes presented a
new view of astronomy and mathematics, while Copernicus proposed that the Sun, not
the Earth, was the center of the solar system. The Renaissance period cultivated a new
change in art, knowledge, and culture. It changed the way the citizens thought, with first
the rediscovery of classical philosophy, literature, and art, as well as the new discoveries
in travel, invention, and style.
 This era was so important has it changed the way the world thought, with new inventions,
styles, and explorations that are still influential and occurring to this day. The term
‘Renaissance Man’ refers to the highly influential people who shaped this period of time.
They were masters of invention, engineering, creatively, and travel, with some of there
discoveries and inventions still used widely to this day.
European science dramatically advanced during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, a period
that historians now refer to as the scientific revolution. While scientists during the late middle
ages were making discoveries, a tipping point occurred in the area of astronomy when
Copernicus published his sun-centered theory of the cosmos, which overturned the prevailing
earth-centered model that dated back to the time of Aristotle. This sparked innovations in all
areas of science, including the development of more sophisticated scientific instruments. In
addition to the particular discoveries that were made, scientists also developed methods of
scientific investigation, which they felt would help them push the boundaries of knowledge more
systematically.
Factors that led to the shift to modern philosophy
1. Discovery of the new world. since the age of great voyages ushered the discovery of other
races and civilizations shifting the focus from the center which is Europe. there are other cultures
that also have great history of scholarly achievements and engineering feats.
2. Change of social structures. the establishments of colonies and rise of the middle class because
of the industrial revolution.
3. Reformation and counter reformation. the catholic church was challenged and the abuses of
power within the church was given attention through counter reformation. the decentralization of
the "power" that the church has in the political field and focus on the original mission of the
church through the witness of church reformers (ex. St. Dominic and St. Francis)
4. Start of national consciousness. it is seen in the shift from the belief that Latin is the official
language in the medieval period. Now, the use of native tongue in writing books developed.
(Descartes wrote his philosophy in French rather than Latin)
5. Invention of printing press. this brought about the reproduction of books to be available for
many to be read. Not like in the medieval times that books are only accessible to those in the
monastery who are keeping the philosophical books. Now, with the access of people to books
they could read and be informed and have their own new way of thinking based on their
readings.
6. Naturalism. "humanism" the focus now is the human person, nature, planets shift from the
focus that is God.
7. Individualism. it started on the basis of the renaissance man. the shift from the medieval world
to the individual. Philosophy becomes a personal undertaking. (descartes' personal meditations)
8. Modern experimental science. the focus on theories and the use of models. the emphasis on
experiments and proofs of how things are in the world.