Vocab Flashcards
Skepticism
A philosophy that maintains that there can be no certainty in human knowledge and that mankind should continually be involved with finding the truth.
Humanism
The study of the creative and intellectual contributions of all human cultures.
Kouros
Type of statue featuring life-sized male nudes in a stance in which the left foot is placed in front of the right.
Socratic Method
Analytical method of reasoning developed by Greek philosopher Socrates that asks a progression of questions in pursuit of the truth.
Hubris
Greek word for excessive pride, presumption or arrogance (originally toward the gods).
epistemology
The study of thinking.
soliloquy
Speech by character in a drama expressing his or her inmost thoughts, heard by the audience but not by any other character.
madrigal
A polyphonic vocal work, usually written for four or five voices, setting a pastoral poem to music, performed without instrumental accompaniment, and intended for secular use.
humanism
The study of the creative and intellectual contributions of all human cultures.
blank verse
Poetry written in a metered fashion, typically iambic pentameter, but which does not rhyme
allegory
A work of art which represents some abstract quality or idea, often religious or political, by means of symbolic representation.
Prose
Language that flows naturally as opposed to language that conforms to the beat of a rhythm such as in poetry.
heresy
A challenge to or rejection of the orthodox doctrine of a religion or church.
Skepticism
Greek philosophical school that maintained human knowledge was limited and uncertain, and probability of correct morality was enough for acting in a moral fashion. Skepticism also refers to a general attitude of questioning and doubting assertions, and maintaining that the accumulation of evidence is of fundamental importance.
Monophonic
Music that contains only a single part.
Empiricism
Philosophical doctrine that says all knowledge is derived from our senses.
Romantic/Byronic hero
A stereotypical character of a Romantic novel; an exceptional and gifted loner, perhaps misunderstood, who was driven to follow personal passion rather than traditional societal expectations.
transcendentalism
Philosophical movement during the Romantic era that emphasized feeling over reason and the role of the individual finding an intuitive relation to the universe through solitude amid nature.
chromaticism
The movement or displacement of notes by a half-step, as opposed to the tradition of whole-step movement in previous periods.
egalitarianism
A belief in promoting social and political equality.
Motifs
In music, a brief but recognizable recurring fragment of a melody.
Impressionism
Art movement of the late 19th century that emphasized simplified composition and the effect of light and color to capture a painter’s visual impression.
