PPE - Sheet1 Flashcards
What was humanism and what were its origins?
Humanism was a Renaissance intellectual movement emphasizing the study of classical texts (Greek and Roman) and focusing on human potential, reason, and achievements. It originated in 14th-century Italy, influenced by Francesco Petrarch, considered the “Father of Humanism.”
How did neo-Platonism affect art and politics?
Neo-Platonism was a revival of Platonism blended with Christian theology that promoted the spiritual connection between the material world and divine forms. In art, it inspired idealized forms like Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus. Politically, it influenced rulers like Cosimo de’ Medici and the Platonic Academy.
Is humanism related to the Scientific Revolution?
Humanism laid the intellectual groundwork for the Scientific Revolution by promoting critical inquiry and revisiting ancient knowledge. Figures like Nicolaus Copernicus and Francis Bacon were influenced by ancient texts and empiricism.
How did the discovery of the New World change the world of science in Europe?
The New World introduced new species and resources that reshaped biology, botany, and cartography. Figures like Francisco Hernández advanced pharmacology by documenting New World plants and medicines, while new navigation techniques supported scientific inquiry.
How was the Scientific Revolution revolutionary?
The Scientific Revolution (16th–18th centuries) shifted scientific inquiry from reliance on religion to empirical observation and experimentation. Galileo’s telescopic observations and Newton’s Principia Mathematica unified physical science under universal laws.
What was the effect of commerce on politics?
The rise of commerce and mercantilism shifted power toward the bourgeoisie, supporting constitutional governance. Examples include the Dutch Republic’s relatively democratic system and the English Glorious Revolution (1688–1689).
Was or was not Martin Luther a humanist?
Martin Luther shared humanist traits, like valuing classical texts and studying the Bible in original languages. However, he rejected humanist optimism about human potential and emphasized divine grace and personal faith.
Did the idea of predestination have an effect on politics?
Predestination, central to Calvinism, led to disciplined governance in theocratic states like Geneva under John Calvin and influenced the Dutch Republic and Scotland’s political systems.
What was the outcome of the Religious Wars?
The Peace of Westphalia (1648) ended the Thirty Years’ War, establishing the principle of cuius regio, eius religio, solidifying state sovereignty and secular political authority across Europe.
What were the major contributions of Erasmus?
Erasmus of Rotterdam (1466–1536) was a leading humanist. His works, including In Praise of Folly (1509), criticized Church corruption, and his Greek New Testament (1516) laid the foundation for religious reform.
What is the significance of Elizabeth I?
Elizabeth I (1533–1603) solidified Protestantism, defeated the Spanish Armada (1588), and fostered a cultural renaissance in England, including the flourishing of Shakespeare’s works.
What were the major reforms of the French government in the seventeenth century?
Louis XIV centralized power through absolutism. His key reforms included the intendant system (replacing feudal governance) and the economic policies of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, which promoted mercantilism.
What was the Enlightenment and what were its principal effects?
The Enlightenment (17th–18th centuries) emphasized reason, individual rights, and secular governance. Thinkers like Voltaire advocated civil liberties, and Montesquieu’s Spirit of Laws (1748) introduced the idea of separation of powers.
How did Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau’s ideas affect politics?
Hobbes (Leviathan, 1651): Advocated for strong central authority to avoid chaos. Locke (Two Treatises of Government, 1689): Promoted natural rights and government by consent, shaping liberal democracy. Rousseau (The Social Contract, 1762): Introduced the idea of collective sovereignty as the foundation of legitimate political power.
What ideas of individualism emerge in the thinkers studied in this course?
Renaissance humanists like Petrarch and Enlightenment thinkers like Locke and Rousseau emphasized reason, individual rights, and freedom. Luther’s Reformation promoted personal faith over institutional mediation.
Why was Newtonianism so important?
Newtonianism, based on Isaac Newton’s principles in Principia Mathematica (1687), unified science with universal laws of motion and gravitation. It shifted understanding of the natural world toward rational, mathematical explanation rather than divine intervention.
What was the role of economics in the French Revolution?
Economic inequality and fiscal crises, such as high taxes on the Third Estate and war debt from the American Revolution, led to widespread discontent and revolutionary demands.
What was the role of feudalism in the political and religious evolution of early modern Europe?
Feudalism declined due to events like the Black Death (1347–1351) and the rise of centralized monarchies. This weakened the Church’s control and paved the way for state formation and the Reformation.
Was the French Revolution purely radical?
Not entirely. While the Reign of Terror (1793–94) involved extreme policies and violence, moderate reforms like the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789) sought equality before the law and individual rights.
Did humanism have any influence on revolutionary thought?
Humanist ideals, focusing on rational inquiry and individual dignity, inspired Enlightenment thinkers like Rousseau and Condorcet, who promoted equality, universal education, and democratic principles.
What did Napoleon represent?
Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821) embodied both the equality principles of the French Revolution and authoritarian governance. His Napoleonic Code (1804) spread secular governance and equality, while his military conquests reshaped Europe.
What are the origins of the Declarations of Rights in 18th century France?
Influences came from Enlightenment thinkers like Locke and Rousseau, the English Bill of Rights (1689), and the American Declaration of Independence (1776). These inspired the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789), asserting equality, freedom, and civil rights.
What was the significance of the Enlightenment idea of separation of powers?
Montesquieu’s concept of separation of powers, outlined in The Spirit of Laws (1748), argued for dividing government responsibilities into three branches (executive, legislative, judicial) to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.
How did the American Revolution reflect Enlightenment ideas?
The American Revolution was heavily influenced by Enlightenment principles like natural rights, popular sovereignty, and liberty as expressed in the works of thinkers such as John Locke.
