1. From Scholasticism to Humanism Ms. Andrawis AP European History
Renaissance Thought
From Scholasticism to Humanism
Ms. Andrawis
AP European History

2. Renaissance
A period in European thought when people adopted a secular/scientific worldview.
applied rational/empirical/ statistical approaches to knowledge
Burckhardt Thesis
a distinct break from the past
the birth of modern Europe
Some scholars disagree: one of many “renaissances”

3. Medieval Scholasticism How did scholars think before the Renaissance?
12th-14th c.
Muslim scholars preserved the works of Greek scientists/philosophers and Roman law.
W. Europe was “reintroduced” to these works via the Byzantine Empire and Muslim Spain
“renaissance” with a small “r”
Led to the rise of Universities in W. Europe.
development of the liberal arts curriculum (grammar, rhetoric, logic, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, music)
Scholars sought to reconcile Aristotle’s logic with teachings of the early Church fathers.

4. Renaissance Humanism Scholars debate the meaning of the term:
Birth of modernity: stressed dignity of mankind, individualism, secular values.
Championing of Christian Values: opposing the teachings of pagan Aristotle in favor of the mystical Plato.
Neutral, empirical-minded historical scholarship that promoted political liberty and civic responsibility.
Humanistic studies: Latin and Greek languages, ancient works of Church fathers, liberal arts (grammar, rhetoric, history, politics, moral philosophy).
Emphasis on original texts rather than second-hand copies or scholarly commentaries.

5. Italian Humanists Petrarch (1304-1374) father of humanism
Letters to the Ancient Dead
biographies of famous Romans
love sonnets
Anti-Aristotle; work displayed Christian values

6. Italian Humanists Dante (1265-1321) Boccaccio (1313-1375)
The Divine Comedy
Less secular than Petrarch
Boccaccio ( )
student/friend of Petrarch
The Decameron

7. Humanistic Educational Reform
Goals
to promote “wisdom eloquently spoken” (art of rhetoric)
to develop knowledge of the “the good” and the ability to move others to desire it
to apply knowledge to the betterment of mankind
“It is better to will the good than to know the truth”
--Petrarch
Castiglione ( ) Book of the Courtier
Christine de Pisan (1364 – c. 1430) The Book of the City of Ladies

8. Christine de Pisan Illustration from The Book of the City of Ladies
*advocates for equal education for men and women

9. Florentine Platonic Academy
Background:
1439: Church council convenes to negotiate reunification of Eastern and Western Church
brings many Greek scholars and manuscripts to Italy from Constantinople
Cosimo de Medici provides funding

10. Florentine Platonic Academy
Why Plato?
flattering view of human nature
distinguished between a physical and eternal world (world of Forms)
used human reasoning to understand mathematical and moral truths
Humanists tried to fuse Plato with Christianity
Influenced Pico’s Oration on the Dignity of Man
“Manifesto of the Renaissance”

11. Critical Humanist Thought
As scholars of truth, many Renaissance thinkers developed critiques of traditional thought.
Lorenzo Valla ( )
Catholic
hero of later Protestant reformers
Finds errors in the official version of the Bible

12. Civic Humanism believed knowledge should serve a civic purpose
advocated a republican form of government
influenced by Roman philosopher, orator, statesman, Cicero

13. Humanism Outside of Italy
Netherlands: Erasmus
“Erasmus laid the Egg that Luther hatched.”
Used satire to critic the Church and push for reform
England: Sir Thomas More
Utopia
Exposed religious, political, and social ills of the day
Germany/France: influences the Protestant Reformation
Spain: used to uphold practices/beliefs of the R.C.C.

14. From Medieval Scholasticism to Renaissance Humanism: Continuity or Change?
European thought maintains a strong Christian character
earlier “renaissances” of ancient learning occurred in the 12th c.
ancient learning used to defend R.C.C./Christianity
Change:
a new emphasis on the secular
growing national consciousness (nationalism)
new urban economy brings about lay control of thought and culture (diminishing the influence of the R.C.C.)
ancient learning increasingly used to criticize R.C.C.

15. Essential Question
I notice I wonder