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Philosophy

Renaissance Philosophy (10 credit points)

Course Times & Enrolment

This course is currently unavailable.

Course Summary

Renaissance thinkers changed the way we think about ourselves and the world. The dignity of man, the value of the individual, the social contract we make to live with others, and importance of questioning and doubting received opinions – these topics underlie the greatness of Renaissance philosophy, and underpin the great artistic achievements of the period, from Michelangelo to Shakespeare.

Please note - this is a credit course and has an integrated digital component.  All students enrolled on credit courses are required to matriculate through the university student system EUCLID. If you do not do so you will not be able to access information provided by your tutor nor will you be able to submit work for assessment. Please read our Studying for Credit Guide, Rules and Regulations for more information.

Course Details

Content of Course

  1. The greatness of the human spirit: Pico della Mirandola’s ‘Oration on the Dignity of Man’ (1486)
  2. How to rule: Machiavelli’s The Prince (1513)
  3. Scepticism and belief: Erasmus’ Praise of Folly (1511)
  4. Designing a better world: Sir Thomas More’s Utopia (1515)
  5. Scepticism and the self 1: Michel de Montaigne’s ‘Apology for Raymond Sebond’
  6. Scepticism and the self 2: Michel de Montaigne’s ‘Apology for Raymond Sebond’ (cont.)
  7. Idols of the Tribe: Francis Bacon’s New Atlantis (1624)
  8. Connecting with the world: Descartes’ Discourse on Method (1637)
  9. Freedom of the press and religious toleration: John Milton’s Areopagitica (1644)
  10. The quest for political order in an unstable world: Hobbes’s Leviathan (1651)

Transferable skills

Close reading skills; conceptual analysis; awareness of basic philosophical concepts and terminology; grounding in history and art of the period.

Teaching method(s)

Two-hour discussion-based seminars using visual material.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

  • Demonstrate an understanding of the basic tenets and development of Renaissance philosophy;
  • Appreciate the special concerns of the age;
  • Apply techniques of philosophical analysis to the works of art of the period.

Sources

Core Readings

Essential

Pico della Mirandola, 1486. Oration on the dignity of man. [online] Available at: http://www.cscs.umich.edu/~crshalizi/Mirandola/

Bruce, S., ed., 2008. Three Modern Utopias. Oxford: Oxford World’s Classics. (for the More and Bacon works)

Machiavelli, 2003. The Prince. London: Penguin.

Erasmus, 2004. The Praise of Folly. London: Penguin.

Montaigne, 2006. An Apology for Raymond Sebond. London: Penguin.

Descartes, 1998. Discourse on Method and The Meditations. London: Penguin.

Milton, 2008. Areopagitica. Champaign, Ill.: Standard Publications.

Hobbes, 2002. Leviathan. London: Penguin.

Alternative/ online publications are also available.

Recommended

Kraye, J., ed., 1996. The Cambridge Companion to Renaissance Humanism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Hankins, J., ed., 2007. The Cambridge Companion to Renaissance Philosophy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Web Sources

The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: http://www.seop.leeds.ac.uk/contents.html

Class Handouts

PowerPoint presentations and key passages will be made available on a weekly basis.

Assessments

10 credit courses have one assessment. Normally, the assessment is a 2000 word essay, worth 100% of the total mark, submitted by week 12. To pass, students must achieve a minimum of 40%. There are a small number of exceptions to this model which are identified in the Studying for Credit Guide.

Studying for Credit

If you choose to study for credit you will need to allocate significant time outwith classes for coursework and assessment preparation. Credit points gained from this course can count towards the Certificate of Higher Education.

Queries

If you have questions regarding the course or enrolment, please contact COL Reception at Paterson's Land by email or by phone 0131 650 4400.

Student support

If you have a disability, learning difficulty or health condition which may affect your studies, please let us know by ticking the 'specific support needs' box on your course application form. This will allow us to make appropriate adjustments in advance and in accordance with your rights under the Equality Act 2010. For more information please visit the Student Support section of our website.