So here we go, having spent a year out of any sort of formal education it was a strange feeling to be back in a room being educated. But it was definitely a nice way to begin the year. I can already tell that this type of learning is going to suit me and am looking forward to jumping into some history and philosophy.
So I think we are supposed to talk about what we thought about the lecture and what Chris had to say. I found it very interesting, having never really liked studying history and no not doing any previous reading around philosophy I found Chris' brief overview very interesting and definitely got my champing at the bit ready to learn more.
The Renaissance is a fascinating time period for me and I cannot wait to delve in and really learn about what people were doing, saying and thinking in probably the most important period of time in human history. The Renaissance produced some of the greatest pieces of architecture, art and most importantly ideas. Without the ideas that were heralded in the Renaissance I dread to think where mankind would be now, but I doubt it would be the same. I think that part of my fascination with the time period comes from playing a video game, probably not what you would expect to inspire the thirst for learning, but after playing Assassins Creed 2 and being plunged into 15th Century Italy I have felt that the Renaissance is a period of time I would like to learn about. I am sounding like I want to do a history degree now.
Moving away from video games, which I think I will have to do this year, I found Chris' comments on the Catholic Church very interesting. I am not really a fan of the church and am a bit of an aggressive atheist. My thoughts were that the church held back scientific and philosophical advancement throughout history, which in fairness it did. But it was interesting to learn how the church also helped to preserve some of the knowledge that could have been lost without it.
I think I have rambled long enough so I think I will leave it here. I am looking forward to jumping into the course in earnest next week and getting down to starting my journey to journalistic fame.
Henry
yes - two schools of thought on the church in the middle ages - one that it was a cause of holding back civilization; the other (more widely held I think by historians) that it preserved elements of the classical world. It is of course very complex. The church fostered learning sometimes; other times not (especially catastrophic episodes such as the crusades). But even the crusades meant Europe was brought into closer contaxt with the Islamic world which in he European dark ages was a beacon of light and learning (partic Baghdad before the Mongol horde got their hands on it) and much learning from greece was saved and given as a gift to Europe by the Muslims (especially those Muslims resident in Europe in Emirate of Cordoba in Spain). Ali points out that contribution of the Arab world to western civilization - and that is certainly true. But for convenienbce and tradition we focus mainly on what I suppose we should call western europe (and America).
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