Philosophy and the Renaissance

Study Notes

Key Terms

Stoics believed that life should be lived without complaint. They believed in accepting life as it is.
Philosophy is the study of how we live and what we do.
Christendom is a term for the lands that were united by their leaders' belief in Christianity.
Arab World refers to the parts of the world, primarily the Middle East, where Arab people lived and flourished.
Renaissance was a period of rediscovering the Greek and Roman spirit of inquiry and intellectual pursuit.
Humanists believed that there was more to life than simply existing and that human beings had great potential.
Printing press was a device invented in the 15th century for printing text quickly and efficiently.
Vernacular is the language spoken in a particular place, for example, English in England.

The Fall of Classical Knowledge

Ancient Greece was the birthplace of Philosophy.
Socrates is credited as one of the founders of philosophical thought.
Stoicism was one of the most prominent schools of philosophy in Ancient Greece.
Greek philosophy encouraged curiosity and critical thinking about the world.
Greek philosophers made significant contributions to cultural and scientific developments.
The rise of the Church after the fall of Rome led to a decline in curiosity about the world.
This period of reduced inquiry coincided with a time of scientific and mathematical advancements in the Arab World.
The House of Wisdom in Baghdad was a vital center of learning and scholarship in the Arab world.

The Rebirth of Classical Ideas: The Renaissance

The Renaissance was characterized by the rebirth of Greek and Roman ideas and their spirit of inquiry.
Leonardo da Vinci is an iconic Renaissance figure, known for his inventions, artistic creations, and intellectual pursuits.
Humanists, like Poggio Bracciolini, searched for forgotten texts by Greek and Roman authors.
The Renaissance began in Italy, fueled by:
- significant wealth.
- the influx of humanists and the arrival of Greek and Roman ideas from Constantinople.
- the printing press, allowing for the rapid spread of knowledge.
- Italy's active involvement in trade, fostering the exchange of ideas.
Humanists believed in the potential of human beings to achieve great things.
The printing press dramatically sped up the dissemination of ideas discovered in Greek and Roman texts.
Florence, with its thriving banking industry, provided essential funding for the Renaissance movement.
Italy's interconnected cities, linked by trade, facilitated the rapid spread of Renaissance ideas.

The Impact of the Renaissance

Renaissance thinking inspired Western explorers, such as Vasco da Gama and Christopher Columbus, to look for new routes to the Far East.
The Renaissance sparked a desire for exploration and discovery of the world.
It led to a flourishing of stunning artwork by artists like Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, including the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel painted by Michelangelo.
The Renaissance encouraged people to challenge established authority, including the Church.
Copernicus challenged the prevailing belief that the Earth was the center of the universe.
Humanists wanted Bibles to be printed in the vernacular, allowing people to read and interpret Jesus' teachings for themselves.
The Renaissance changed the way people thought about religion, God, and the broader world.

Description

Explore the key concepts and figures from ancient Greece to the Renaissance. This quiz delves into Stoicism, Humanism, and the impact of the printing press on knowledge dissemination. Test your understanding of how these elements shaped modern thought.