[Sca-cooks] When DID the Renaissance End???(was:Nocino, period cordial or not?

[Solveig]

Noble Cousins!

Greetings from Solveig! I am astonished that anyone considers Rene 
Descartes to be a renaissance philosopher. He is usually classified 
with the "continental rationalists". Some may consider him to be a 
early modern philosopher immediately  before the England/Continent 
split. Shakespear has the problem of focusing on English literature. 
The truth is that there is not really one true cut-off date for the 
renaissance. Jews in the Middle Ages argues that the medieval period 
in Russia continued pretty much up to the early twentieth century. 
Regardless, Dante and Shakespear are much more than simply 
Renaissance authors. Among other things, they both write in the 
vernacular. This is a hallmark of truly modern authorship. In 
contrast, you can argue that since Meditations was written in Latin 
that on that basis it was possibly the last of the major 
medieval/renaissance works. However, while some of its argumentation 
is anticipated by St. Anselm, its insistence on methodological 
skepticism and development ex nihlo (sp) mark it as a modern work. 
Possibly more modern than even some 20th century works.

Incidentally, our Medieval Philosophy course started with St. 
Agustine which makes some sense as Rome was sacked during his 
lifetime. So, Rome just wasn't the Rome that it used to be. He wrote 
City of God partly to argue that christianity made the empire 
stronger rather than weaker.
-- 

					Your Humble Servant
					Solveig Throndardottir
					Amateur Scholar

					(B.A. Philosophy - a long time ago)

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