Euro chapter 29
Terms
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- What was Montaigne's most important theory?
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Relativism in late 17th Century
-exploration overseas leads to realization of human, cultural differences
-Montaigne’s theory on relativism: wrote text about Cannibals
-traveler’s tales, traveler’s books express the need for relativism as well
-Jesuit missionaries in China, MI valley expressed need for cultural sensitivity
-King of Siam and his visits to Paris: expresses need for religious tolerance - Who was Pierre Bayle?
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-greatest skeptic thinker (1647-1706).
-skepticism= belief that all things are relative, varying with time and place
-pushed the idea that many popular beliefs were without scientific back-up
-more literary than a truly scientific thinker
-comet example:
-1682: Edmond Halley, a friend of Newton’s predicts the return of a comet
-pop culture is making up comet “myths†not based on fact
-1697: Bayle publishes his Historical and Critical Dictionary
-popular “truth†is usually just an opinion not based in fact
-book is a compilation of exposed myths
-it’s stupid to have a strong opinion in anything
-people are extremely gullible
-mixed skepticism with faith; pro-religious tolerance (don’t hold too strongly on any one opinion!) - Describe the new sense of evidence and its outcomes in the late 17th century
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-Europeans weren’t content with the negativity of skepticism
- people didn’t want disbelief; they wanted understanding.
-“English Law of evidenceâ€
-evidence becomes key in deciding criminal cases—before, word of mouth was trusted too highly
-evidence law is uniform for all English courts
-people are allowed legal counsel
-Witchcraft Craze ends
-witches= psychotic
-connection realized between torture and confessions; torture for outlawed - Why did the general public first distrust the study of history?
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-new laws of evidence lead to increased interest
-many people are skeptic about the study of history
-Adam didn’t need history
-history isn’t mathematical
-belief that historians were pretentious
-how can you have any certainty about something that happened way before your time? - Who was Jean Mabillon?
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French monk who wrote On Diplomatics, in 1681.(referred to ancient charters and diplomas)
-established science of paleography (deciphering, reading, dating and authenticating old manuscripts) - Who was Muratori?
- Italian man who explored achrives, documents, manuscripts, spent his lifetime “buried in the booksâ€
- Who was Archbishop James Usher?
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-Anglican prelate in Ireland
-studies the bible and announces that 4004 BC was the date of the creation of the world--study of chronology.most scholars didn’t believe him b/c of their knowledge of more ancient cultures like Egypt and China…lots of arguments about chronology. - What were the calendar differences b/w Prot/Cath countries?
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-Protestant/Orthodox countries followed old/Julian calendar
-Catholic countries followed the Gregorian calendar
-off by 10 days!
-1752: England accepts the Gregorian calendar
-1918: Russia accepts the Gregorian calendar - Who was Richard Simon?
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-devout French priest who believed more in the importance of church traditions than the text of the bible
-1678: published Critical History of the Old Testament
-book condemned by church, Louis XIV
-criticized the Old Testament for its reliance on old manuscripts, etc. - Who was Baruch Spinoza?
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-Jewish lens-grinder from Amsterdam
-excommunicated from his synagogue, very serious thinker
-developed philosophy of pantheism:
-God has no existence apart from the world, everything is itself and aspect of God, the bible means nothing, miracles/supernatural beings don’t exist, no governments are just.
-people considered this atheistic
-his name became a symbol for “impiety and horrendous unbeliefâ€
-influence slowly spreads to development into rationalist philosophy - What was the background of John Locke?
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-educated in medicine, had scientific knowledge
-associated w/ Whig noblemen who were the authors of the 1688 Rev. - what were Locke’s views on Religion ?
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-philosophy that dwelled on the merits of common sense
-1689: wrote Letter on Toleration
-advocated for an established church, that didn’t tolerate Roman Catholics or atheists
-believed that Roman Caths/atheists were dangerous to society (Roman Caths= bad foreign alliance, atheists= lack a basic moral responsibility)
-published Reasonableness of Christianity
-argued that Christianity, rightly considered, is a reasonable form of religion.
-combined religious feeling with an “unruffled common senseâ€, rather than worsening skepticism b/w religion and science - What were Locke’s views on Knowledge?
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-1690: published Essay Concerning the Human Understanding
-Question: Is it possible to know anything with certainty? How is certain knowledge arrived at?
-Answer: True or certain knowledge is derived from experience, from the five senses and the mind’s perception of these five senses. = EMPIRICAL PHILOSOPHY
-*This is similar to Bacon’s philosophy about experience and observation leading to truth. - What was Locke’s “Environmentalist†Philosophy?
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-denied Descartes’ idea that humans are born with innate ideas.
-believed that the human mind was born with a tabula rasa
-the social environment shapes what people think
*This becomes a huge part of political theory in years to come! It affected views on education, human actions, social institutions, etc. It ultimately gave hope for social progress.