Chapter 4 The Exchange of Ideas

Worldviews Influenced -Knowledge -Beliefs -Society

The Scientific Method -Attitudes towards science began to change during the renaissance -People began to question the world around them and conduct experiments -The Scientific Method is the process of making observations, experimenting, and drawing conclusions on evidence -The most important advances were in astronomy, medicine, and mathematics

Astronomy -Up until the Renaissance people believed that the earth was the center of the universe and that the sun and planets revolved around it. -The Greek astronomer Ptolemy introduced the idea of the universe back in the Classical Era, Europeans believed that the earth was the center of the universe. -Galileo and the philosophers before him threatened the Christian Worldview and permanently looked at the universe.

Medicine -Doctors had little accurate knowledge about anatomy (the bodily structure) and the causes of disease. -Remedies were based on astrology (the science of the stars), superstition, bloodletting, and applying leeches were common. -During the renaissance medical knowledge grew, largely in the fields of anatomy and surgery. -Doctors and surgeons began applying the scientific method to make new discoveries about the human body.

Anatomy -During the renaissance autopsies were made legal for the purposes of study in many of the Italian cities.

Mathematics -Geometry and Algebra were studied during the renaissance -Thinkers such as da Vinci believed that mathematics was the basic tool for understanding the universe. -As trade and commerce grew, knowledge of mathematics became essential for members of the merchant class

Political and Religious Leadership -Civic-humanism encouraged citizens to participate in the government of their state -Niccolo Machiavelli was a keen observer of people and governments. His observations led him to new ways of thinking about leadership and power. -Wrote the book The Prince which became one of the most controversial and influential political books ever written -He was a humanist

The Prince - “There is no other way to guard yourself against flattery than by making men understand that telling you the truth will not offend you.” -“it is much safer to be feared than loved because...love is preserved by the link of obligation which, owing to the baseness of men, is broken at every opportunity for their advantage; but fear preserves you by a dread of punishment which never fails.” -“How we live is so different from how we ought to live that he who studies what ought to be done rather than what is done will learn the way to his downfall rather than to his preservation.” -“Minds are of three kinds: one is capable of thinking for itself; another is able to understand the thinking of others; and a third can neither think for itself nor understand the thinking of others. The first is of the highest excellence, the second is excellent, and the third is worthless.”

Changing Leadership in the Church -During the renaissance people were sometimes disappointed with their government, businesses, and religious leaders -The Catholic Church was the most powerful institution in Europe -Some church leaders, priests, and other leaders took advantage of their authority to gain power and money for themselves and members of the their family -Some leaders “bought” their titles -Some priests did not honor their vows -The complaints became louder and louder

Martin Luther -Fed up with the corruption with the catholic church Luther (a German Monk) took action -Influenced by the humanist methods he began to carefully study the Bible for himself, he concluded that the Bible, rather than the Church, should be a Christian’s true spiritual guide -Luther was also upset by the wealth of the church and how that wealth was obtained -The Church made its money by selling indulgences: certificates that reduced the time people would be punished for their sins after they died

Martin Luther -In 1517 Luther nailed his Ninety-Five These (problems with the Catholic Church) to the door of his local church. This paper was also printed and spread around Germany -The Pope condemned Luther in a public document, Luther publicly burnt the condemnation -Luther was called to the Imperial Court to give up his ideas, he refused. As a result he was banished from the church and declared an outlaw who could be killed, Luther went into hiding.

95 Theses -Christians are to be taught that he who sees a needy man and passes him by, yet gives his money for indulgences, does not buy papal indulgences but God's wrath. -Christians are to be taught that, unless they have more than they need, they must reserve enough for their family needs and by no means squander it on indulgences. -Christians are to be taught that they buying of indulgences is a matter of free choice, not commanded. Christians are to be taught that the pope, in granting indulgences, needs and thus desires their devout prayer more than their money. -Christians are to be taught that papal indulgences are useful only if they do not put their trust in them, but very harmful if they lose their fear of God because of them. -Christians are to be taught that if the pope knew the exactions of the indulgence preachers, he would rather that the basilica of St. Peter were burned to ashes than built up with the skin, flesh, and bones of his sheep..

The Protestant Reformation -Luther translated the Bible into his protestant version -With the printing press it reached a huge amount of germans -When Luther broke away from the Church his followers came with him -His new church formed in Northern Europe, known as the Lutheran Church -Followers of the Lutheran faith were known as protestants -This era was known as the “Protestant Reformation” -Protestant = protesting against the Church -Reformation = reforming Christianity

The Catholic Counter-Reformation -The Catholic Church lost a large amount of members and power from the Protestant Reformation -Pope Paul II held the “Council of Trent” in which the church reexamined its policies, this was known as the “Catholic Counter-Reformation” -As a result, the church cleaned out their corrupt members and gave better education to their priests. -New Religious Order formed and began focusing on converting people to Catholicism. -The Jesuits were the most important of their groups. (very active in North America)

The Spread of Ideas -Renaissance started in the Italian City-States -Spread across France, Spain, Portugal as well as Northern Europe -Later is would cross the Atlantic and spread to the Americas

Gathering Great Minds -Some wealthy merchant patrons played an important role in the exchange of ideas and knowledge by creating universities -Universities -Many Italian Humanists taught at universities -Here they shared their ideas with their students -Students would return to their own towns and spread their ideas -Travelling Celebrities -The Superstars of the renaissance (da Vinci and Erasmus) were in high demand to speak all over Europe -Royal Courts -Kings and Queens were eager to bring scholars to their kingdoms

The Printing Press -most people in Europe during the renaissance were illiterate -Only the rich could afford to learn to read, buy books, and go to universities -In 1450 everything changed with the invention of the printing press -it could produce thousands of book quickly and cheaply -By 1500 there were over 6 million books across Europe -More books allowed for a greater spreading of knowledge across Europe -Now the middle-class could afford books, they could read, write and talk about what they have learned -More books were printed in the vernacular instead of Latin -Authors began to make money from writing books