Reason and Enlightenment Modern history

traditionally, european intellectual transformation of , after renaissance bridged middle ages , modern era. age of reason in western world regarded being start of modern philosophy, , departure medieval approach, scholasticism. 17th-century philosophy called age of rationalism , considered succeed renaissance philosophy , precede age of enlightenment, consider earliest part of enlightenment era in philosophy, extending era 2 centuries. 18th century saw beginning of secularization in europe, rising notability in wake of french revolution.

the age of enlightenment time in western philosophy , cultural life centered upon 18th century in reason advocated primary source , legitimacy authority. enlightenment gained momentum more or less simultaneously in many parts of europe , america. developing during enlightenment era, renaissance humanism intellectual movement spread across europe. basic training of humanist speak , write (typically, in form of letter). term umanista comes latter part of 15th century. people associated studia humanitatis, novel curriculum competing quadrivium , scholastic logic.

renaissance humanism took close study of latin , greek classical texts, , antagonistic values of scholasticism emphasis on accumulated commentaries; , humanists involved in sciences, philosophies, arts , poetry of classical antiquity. self-consciously imitated classical latin , deprecated use of medieval latin. analogy perceived decline of latin, applied principle of ad fontes, or sources, across broad areas of learning.

the quarrel of ancients , moderns literary , artistic quarrel heated in 1690s , shook académie française. opposing 2 sides were, ancients (anciens) constrain choice of subjects drawn literature of antiquity , moderns (modernes), supported merits of authors of century of louis xiv. fontenelle followed digression sur les anciens et les modernes (1688), in took modern side, pressing argument modern scholarship allowed modern man surpass ancients in knowledge.