The Humanist View of History
Humanism emerged during the Renaissance as a cultural movement that redefined the understanding of history and civilization. Humanists believed that after the collapse of the Roman Empire, Europe entered a 'dark age' where knowledge and cultural achievements diminished under the Church's dominance. They saw the Renaissance, starting from the fourteenth century, as a period that restored true civilization through a revival of classical knowledge, arts, and individualism. They periodized history into three phases: the Middle Ages, often depicted as stagnant, the Dark Ages, and finally the Modern Age from the fifteenth century onwards.
Key figures such as Jacob Burckhardt emphasized culture over politics, promoting a view of man as capable of making decisions independent of the Church’s authority. Furthermore, humanism encouraged the study of texts from ancient Greece and Rome, greatly influencing education and intellectual developments of the time. While humanism was predominantly rooted in the experiences of men, some women began to foster their own intellectual pursuits, albeit still largely marginalized. The section also discusses the humanist focus on individuality, the emergence of a new social structure, artistic innovations inspired by classical antiquity, and the contribution of Arab scholars to Renaissance science and philosophy.
The debates within the church, illustrated by figures like Erasmus and Luther, exemplified how humanism was intertwined with early forms of religious reform, further indicating that the ideas of individualism and empirical inquiry reshaped not only cultural but also religious landscapes in Europe.