The Renaissance and Enlightenment periods are two of the most important times in Western history. The Renaissance was a time of rebirth, while the Enlightenment was a time of reason and progress. While there are many similarities between these two periods, there are also some key differences. This blog post will discuss the difference between the Renaissance worldview and the Enlightenment worldview.
What is Renaissance World View?
Renaissance World View was a term first used by historian Johan Huizinga to describe the intellectual and cultural atmosphere of late medieval Europe. Renaissance thinkers sought to revive the classical learning of ancient Greece and Rome, and they placed great emphasis on individual achievement and the power of human reason. This new way of thinking began to challenge many traditional Christian beliefs, and it had a profound impact on art, literature, science, and politics. The Renaissance was a time of great change, and its legacy can still be seen in the world today.
What is Enlightenment World View?
Enlightenment World View is the belief that reason and empirical evidence should be used to solve problems and understand the world. Enlightenment thinkers believed that humans could progress and improve their lives through the use of reason, science, and technology. This way of thinking began in the seventeenth century and continued into the eighteenth century.
Enlightenment philosophers such as John Locke, Isaac Newton, and Voltaire developed ideas that would later be known as Enlightenment World View. These ideas spread throughout Europe and North America, where they influenced political leaders, scientists, and thinkers. Enlightenment World View continues to shape our understanding of the world today.
Difference between Renaissance World View and Enlightenment World View
- The Renaissance World View was characterized by a number of features, including a belief in the superiority of reason and an emphasis on the individual.
- The Renaissance thinkers who shaped this worldview were heavily influenced by the classical tradition, and as such, they placed a great deal of importance on ideas such as order, proportion, and harmony.
- In contrast, the Enlightenment World View was marked by a rejection of traditional authority and an embrace of skepticism. For Enlightenment thinkers, the reason was the highest form of knowledge, and they believed that it could be used to challenge received wisdom and uncover universal truths. These two world views have had a profound impact on the course of history, and they continue to shape our understanding of the world today.
Conclusion
The Renaissance World View and the Enlightenment World View are two vastly different ways of looking at the world. The Renaissance was all about rebirth and new discoveries, while the Enlightenment focused on using reason to better understand the world around us. While there are many similarities between these two time periods, it is important to recognize the differences in order to understand how they have shaped our current worldview.
