Humanism

The title “Renaissance Humanism” is applied to the philosophical and cultural movement that swept across Europe from the 14th through 16th centuries, effectively ending the Middle Ages and leading into the modern era. Pioneers of Renaissance Humanism were inspired by the discovery and spread of important classical texts from ancient Greece and Rome which offered a different vision of life and humanity than what had been common during previous centuries of Christian domination. The central focus of Renaissance Humanism was, quite simply, human beings. Humans were praised for their achievements — achievements attributed to human ingenuity and human effort rather than divine grace. Humans were regarded optimistically in terms of what they could do, not just in the arts and sciences but even morally. Human concerns were given greater attention, leading people to spend more time on work that would benefit people in their daily lives rather than the otherworldly interests of the Church. The starting point for the Humanism of the Renaissance was Italy. This was most likely due to the ongoing presence of a commercial revolution in the Italian city-states of the era. A factor which made Italy a natural place for launching the humanist movement was its obvious connection to ancient Rome. Humanism was very much an outgrowth of increased interest in the philosophy, literature, and historiography of ancient Greece and Rome, all of which offered a stark contrast to what had been produced under the direction of the Christian Church during the Middle Ages. Italians of the time felt themselves to be the direct descendants of the ancient Romans, and thus believed that they were the inheritors of Roman culture — an inheritance which they were determined to study and understand. Of course, this study led to admiration which, in turn, also led to imitation.

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