0001 - A World of Ideas Module PDF

Preview

Summary

Download 0001 - A World of Ideas Module PDF

Description

THE IDEAS THAT SHAPED THE MODERN WORLD.

the Dark Age and in the Arabic world.

Contemporary society requires people knowledgeable about the origin and development of our world as a global and complex entity. Students should be aware with a multidisciplinary perspective of the modern world, with emphasis on reflection about contemporary and local issues. There will be a lot of interesting and profound explanation and discussion on history, society, politics, science, culture, and philosophy.

The characteristics of the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, as well as their impact upon knowledge, science, religion, and politics will be discussed.

Ideas do not just prop up from nowhere. Although we tend to believe that there are geniuses who come up with groundbreaking original ideas, the truth is that an idea can only become significant and has impact on the world in an “environment”. So in teaching how the “great” ideas shaped the modern world, we will explain how an idea is developed and brewed in a complicated network. Understanding this is crucial to students who have an aspiration to promote their insights to influence our future society, whether in the academic, political or business fields.

THE RENAISSANCE AND THE ENLIGHTENMENT. We shall start with introducing the Renaissance and the Enlightenment as reactions to previous cultures such as that in

The Renaissance brought about a rebirth and an expansion of cultural experience. It included those outside the elite classes, and it directed society toward more humanist and realistic perspectives. Without the Renaissance, we might not preserve and appreciate the fine arts as we do today. Science, too, might not have developed in the same way without such Renaissance men as Leonardo da Vinci. This cultural expansion and the new directions of ideas in the Renaissance did much to introduce and awaken many who heretofore either had no interest or were not included in the expression of and the appreciation of the arts. The new humanist viewpoint of the Renaissance also turned societies toward an interest in scientific research and inventions. Of course, one of the greatest contributors to the development of the arts and sciences was Leonardo da Vinci. He introduced realism into the portrayal of the human form because he combined science with his art as he drew anatomically correct human forms.

This is not to say that he did not take artistic license as, for instance, he did with his sculpture of David, which has the right arm constructed on a larger scale. During the Renaissance the printing press was created, followed by other inventions and scientific discoveries. As there were more developments in science and thought, more mobility was witnessed in Europe. And with more interest in humanism, the Roman Catholic religion waned in its power. Along with this lessening of the power of the Church, Rome's prominence as the cultural and intellectual center of Europe was reduced. Therefore, Renaissance scholars began traveling throughout Europe, and they brought with them the preservation of the classics and their artistic and humanist ideals, which then became prevalent in other countries. Indeed, the Renaissance was extremely influential in developing the cultures of Europe because it ignited the lost human spirit. Because of the revival of and great interest in the fine arts and the sciences during the Renaissance, modern society is enriched with classical and humanistic works and ideas. Without doubt, these advancements of the Renaissance have enriched modern societies socially, culturally, intellectually, and scientifically.

https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/howdo-you-think-renaissance-period-influencedour-482168

Some of the Ways the Renaissance Directly Shaped the Way We Live Now are as follows: 1. It's Okay to Enjoy Sex. a. There was once a time when it was thought women couldn't enjoy sex. During the Renaissance, with the study of human anatomy and the Humanistic focus on the individual, people got the idea that maybe sex is something to be enjoyed. This a-ha moment led to the realization that women can, and should, feel pleasure from sex, especially if they wanted to conceive. 2. If You Own A Gun, Thank the Renaissance. a. While gunpowder was invented by the Chinese more than 1,000 years before the Renaissance kicked off, the explosive substance found its most common use during the Renaissance in Europe (early on the Chinese used it for

fireworks, explosives).

then

Gunpowder eventually made its way to Europe, and in the 14th century, guns were invented. Not long thereafter, they were put to use in battle, and the world was changed forever. 3. Three Words: The Printing Press. a. You can read today because the written word was spread by the printing press. You have newspapers, books, comics, and more to read because of the printing press. This is arguably one of the most important inventions in the history of mankind, and it all started with a man named Gutenberg around the year 1440. The printing revolution followed, enabling the mass publication of, well, basically everything This made books available to the masses, led to increased literacy, changed literature, and paved the way for evolution in education

by allowing for the production of text books. 4. Global Travel Began During the Renaissance. a. Believe it or not, there was once a time when people thought that traveling around the world was impossible. Then along came Ferdinand Magellan. While trying to reach the West Indies, he accidentally circumnavigated the globe in the early 1500s. Now we're able to travel between continents, around the world, and back, without being afraid of anything but turbulence and jetlag. 5. The Modern Banking System Is a Product of the Renaissance. a. House of Medici was a very powerful family from Florence, Italy, which rose to prominence at the end of the 14th century. This family had a ton of money, influence, and brains, and were all about increasing their wealth. One way they did this was through giving loans and keeping track of

finances for people. They opened their first bank in 1393, and not long thereafter began expanding. 6. The Toilet, Perhaps the Greatest of All Renaissance Innovations. a. If you don't like the idea of pissing, crapping, and puking into a hole in the ground, an outhouse, or a special room in the house with an opening in the floor, you have Sir John Harrington to thank. In 1591, he invented a strange device that could flush waste away to another location. 7. Your Entire Day Is Structured Around a Renaissance Invention (the Clock) a. It's one thing to say mechanical clocks were invented during the early Renaissance, and that watches arose as a direct result of this. It's another to consider the ramifications of this invention. Suddenly, everyone knew the time, and appointments were scheduled based on this time.

And, over the course of centuries, every second of every day became standardized and accounted for as a result of the introduction of the clock. We are all slaves to time. 8. You're Not Giving All Your Money to the Church. a. Above all else, the Renaissance dictated major changes for the church. Martin Luther rose to theological fame in Germany during the 1500s, and it became accepted, over time, that there was no one true way to worship god. Luther's ideas, and those of Henry VIII, who split from the Catholic Church because he wanted a divorce, saw the fragmentation of Christianity in Europe. Much of this stemmed from our old friend Humanism. You see, with Renaissance Humanism, everything was looked at incredibly secularly, from how your daily life was run to how humanity as a whole should be viewed.

Before Humanism started to make its mark, churches demanded money, and generally got it whenever they asked. After this? Not so much. People had other things on their mind. 9. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Are a Thing. a. Okay, this may seem silly, but if you grew up in the '80s or '90s, or have a kid who watches cartoons, you probably know about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Their names? Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael. If these names sound familiar, that's because each one is from a different artist and inventor during the Renaissance. So, yes, we can thank the Renaissance for these turtles. But maybe not the Michael Bay adaptations of them. 10. Many Modern Tools Were Developed During the Renaissance. a. Every family seems to have their share of do-

it-yourselfers. Well, thanks (or maybe not thanks) to the Renaissance, they have all the tools they need for their projects. The first wrench and screwdriver were both created during the 13th and 14th centuries, and were adapted for use in woodworking. So really, it's not just the DIY crowd who owes a debt to the Renaissance, but all of us who have pipes that were fitted with wrenches and furniture assembled using screws. THE IDEA OF “MAN”: POLITICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL We shall explain how the concept of a “man” or “person” arose after the Dark Ages that culminates in the present concept of a free individual with rights and duties. In connection, there will be some discussions about the growth of bioethics and the contemporary issue of violation of human rights in certain places of the world. THE POLITICAL IDEA OF MAN Aristotle insists that man is either a political animal (the

natural state) or an outcast like a “bird which flies alone” In his Politics, Aristotle believed man was a "political animal" because he is a social creature with the power of speech and moral reasoning: Hence it is evident that the state is a creation of nature, and that man is by nature a political animal. And he who by nature and not by mere accident is without a state, is either above humanity, or below it; he is the ‘Tribeless, lawless, hearthless one,’ whom Homera denounces —the outcast who is a lover of war; he may be compared to a bird which flies alone. Now the reason why man is more of a political animal than bees or any other gregarious animals is evident. Nature, as we often say, makes nothing in vain, and man is the only animal whom she has endowed with the gift of speech. And whereas mere sound is but an indication of pleasure or pain, and is therefore found in other animals (for their nature attains to the perception of pleasure and pain and the intimation of them to one another, and no further), the power of speech is intended to set forth the expedient and inexpedient, and likewise the just and the unjust. And it is a characteristic of man

that he alone has any sense of good and evil, of just and unjust, and the association of living beings who have this sense makes a family and a state. http://files.libertyfund.org/pll/quotes/164.html

The man is a political animal is a phrase often heard in public debates, without quoting the source of this fundamental position of political philosophy. It was Aristotle who, in Politics, the first called the man “Zoon politikon.” Man is a thinking animal. The man is in the scheme of nature as “thinking animal.” The spirit which distinguishes man as a rational being is “incapable of being destroyed” It is a special part of the psyche (soul), which in turn is the force that animates the body. The soul is the body “trained”, and contrary to the spirit of Plato, does not have a separate existence from the body. Thus, it does not survive the death of the body. However, the soul has both currency and potential. The soul is also effective, that is to say, the formal cause and final body. In other words, the soul has a purpose, and carries with it the means to achieve this end. Man is a political animal: Man is a “political animal.” In this Aristotle means that man lives in a more “polis”. Man becomes man among others, living in a society governed by laws and customs.

The man develops his potential and realize its natural end in a social context. This is the “good life.” This is not an easy life, but a life of virtue is reflected in the highest good (eudaimonia), often translated as happiness. The good life. Aristotle’s ethics is a study of choice in action: how man should live to live better? For Aristotle, everything is social individual. Certain virtues such as courage and generosity, which he describes as “practical” virtues, because they relate to the social nature of man. The truly balanced individual also continues the “theory” of qualities that are related to man as a rational being. For Aristotle, the ultimate happiness lies in the pursuit of wisdom for his own good, as asserted in the Nicomachean Ethics. THE PHILOSOPHICAL IDEA OF MAN. There is no question more crucial to man than the question, what is a man? What kind of being is he? What are his essential attributes? In the history of thought many philosophers and artists have claimed to answer these question, to look at man and to report on his nature. Their reports have clashed through the ages. Aristotle for instance, defined man as the rational animal. Plato and the medieval looked at man and reported that

they saw a drooling hunk of flesh encasing a soul, yearning for supernatural salvation. Shakespeare in his plays represented man as an aspiring but foolish mortal, inevitably defeated by a tragic flaw. Immanuel Kant saw a blind, dutyridden chunk of unreality in permanent hock to the unknowable. Victor Hugo saw a self-confident, purposeful valued, undercut by a malevolent universe. Hegel saw a half-real fragment of the state. John Dewey saw a ward heeler chasing the expediency of the moment. Freud looked at man and claimed to see an excrement-dripping pervert itching to rape his mother. Ayn Rand looked at man – at man, not men – and saw the possibility of Howard Roark and John Galt. The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities. -

Ayn Rand...