MEDIEVAL THOUGHTMain Concepts in Medieval ThoughtRise of UniversitiesSlide 4Slide 5Reconciling God and ReasonSlide 7St. Thomas AquinasSlide 9ArchitectureSlide 11Slide 12Slide 13Slide 14Slide 15Slide 16Slide 17Literature and Court LifeSlide 19Slide 20Slide 21Slide 22MEDIEVAL THOUGHT1Emergence of Universities2Reconciling God and Reason–St. Thomas Aquinas3Architecture4Literature and court life.Main Concepts in Medieval Thought•Emerge during the 1200s - why now?–end of invasions by Vikings, Magyars and Muslims–increasing stability from larger kingdoms–revival of trade and growth of literacy–contact with Byzantium and Islamic cultures.Rise of Universities•Origins and early activities•grew spontaneously - listen to a teacher•start in Italy and expand north•guild for instructors and students (male only)–protest high rent–demands on instructors–fines for poorly attended lectures.Rise of Universities•student life - “very carefree”–two classes a week is full load–rent books (no printing until 1450)–BA called trivium (grammar, rhetoric, logic), in arts–MA called quadrivium (math, geometry, astronomy, music and Aristotle) in science–4 more years for PhD–wander all over Europe attending universities–wenching/drinking.Rise of Universities“I believe, that I may know.”- St. Augustine•Scholasticism - rational, based entirely on logic–how to solve a problem•consult bible and/or church writings•use logic of Aristotle–Fish live in water. A shark is a fish. Therefore sharks live in water–BUT Fish eat other fish. I eat fish. Therefore I am a fish.•No sensory input - senses are false–you must forsake the world.Reconciling God and Reason•“By doubting we inquire, by inquiring we discover truth.”Peter Abelard•purpose of logic is to support and advance faith•Aristotle emerges - revered for focus on logic–use of scientific method invalidates him–church bans his works - “authorized” versions.Reconciling God and Reason•Reconciled doctrines of the church and the world•concludes dualism of St. Augustine is wrong - body is necessary to gain earthly knowledge - science is suddenly legitimate.St. Thomas Aquinas•Examples1the idea exists before merged with an object•(I can think of table while looking at a tree)2the idea exists as part of the object•(a plank still isn’t a table)3idea exists after object is gone•(plank is part of a table, no longer a plank)4all things move toward a higher plane (God)5if all things move, God is “unmoved mover”.St. Thomas Aquinas•Two main directions in architecture - Romanesque and Gothic•seen in cathedrals–why?•Religion is complete outlet for artistic and emotional outpourings of early medieval periodArchitecture•expense and time to build cathedrals–over $50 billion–100 years–pilgrimages.•Romanesque–earlier building technique–preserved or created at Cluny–thicker walls, stone barrel vault, small windows to support ceiling weight.ArchitectureSt. Sernin CathedralSt. Sernin nave•Gothic–nave is wider than Romanesque–pointed arch–taller walls, thinner roof–walls thinner and more windows–flying buttresses–decoration•gargoyles, windows.Architecture•Emergence of vernacular printings - illuminated manuscripts•epic poems transmitted orally are now written - why?–Increasing literacy–decline in use of Latin - not even all priests can read it (but they are “reading” the Bible each week)•troubadours and courtly love poetry–changes knightly duties - chivalry–jousts.Literature and Court LifeLiterature and Court Life•Influence of noblewomen–invite poets to court–love of a “good woman” would make a better knight–crazy demands on knights•bathe often, dress neatly, ability to carry on a civilized conversation, compose poetry, play instrument•trying to get knights to do things besides carve up enemies.Literature and Court Life•Dante Alighieri (1265-1321)–writes The Divine Comedy“Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.”–story of his view of life, and how life was viewed in his time period–shows the hierarchy in life and the afterlife–circles of hell•ninth circle is ice - symbolizing absence of God’s love, weight of sin holds men down, Satan as a three headed beast (opposite of God).Literature and Court
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