Philosophy - The Renaissance

The Renaissance

Renaissance - fall of Constantinople in 1453 to the beginning of the Enlightenment 1680, saw the rebith of Greco-Roman culture, spirit of learning, interest in humanities and the termination of the subserviency of philosophy to theology and the authority of the church.

Humanistic period (1453-1600) Science period (1600-1680)

Humanists included da Vinci (1452-1546); Machiavelli (1469-1527); Copernicus  (1473-1543); Martin Luther (1483-1546); Melanchthon (1497-1560); John Calvin (1509-1564).

Scientists included Galileo Galilei (1564-1642); Francis Bacon (1561-1626); Grotius (1583-1620); Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679); Isaac Newton (1642-1727).

Rene Descartes (1596-1650) - father of modern philosophy

Machiavellianism - in politics, the ends justifies the means (reflected the low moral standards prevalent at that time), wrote The Prince which advocated power as an end in itself.

Social and Political Philosophy

Utopia by Thomas More in 1518, advocated a Platonic communism

The New Atlantis (Bacon : 1623) - community who sort increased productivity through scientific advancement, put forward the proposition that civilisation progresses through science.

Leviathan (Hobbes : 1651) - advocates a social contract as a formal civil law, restricts the natural liberties of all persons through mutual consent, overseen by the ruler or Leviathan.