A.
Medieval Period (500-1500 CE)
A. Defining the Middle Ages:
1. Disputed start date (476, 500, or later)
2. Disputed end date (1453, 1492, or 1517)
B. Early Middle Ages (“Dark Ages”):
1. Barbarian invasions and decline of Roman Empire
2. Loss of Roman knowledge and skills
C. Feudal Society:
1. Peasants as the primary workforce
2. Peasant obligations to lords and the Church
3. Frequent famines, plagues, and warfare
D. Transition from Feudalism:
1. Growth of commerce and towns
2. Rise of the Renaissance – revival of classical learning and art
E. The Role of the Catholic Church:
1. Strongest influence in Europe
2. “Great civilizing influence” of the Middle Ages
F. Medieval Intellectual Culture:
1. Emphasis on the seven liberal arts
2. Latin as the language of philosophy and learning
G. Faith and Reason in Medieval Thought:
1. St. Anselm’s belief in faith as the foundation for reason
2. The unique nature of God’s existence
B. Modern Period (1500-1800)
Modern philosophy- It is an attack on the church that ruled those ages
and dictated its ideas. It is an attack on the very notion of authority
itself, which was, as we have been, very much at issue during the
centuries preceding.
Solomon & Higgins (1996)- modern philosophy is an attack on and a
rejection of the Middle Ages that occupied the preceding thousand
years. It is an attack on the church that ruled those ages and dictated
its ideas.
Christopher Columbus- landed his ships in the “new world, altering
not only the geography but the politics of the world forever.
Martin Luther- would tack 95 theses Introduction to the Philosophy of
the Human Person to the door of the church at Wittenberg and initiate
the Reformation.
Reformation- cause several centuries of upheaval in Europe, change
the nature of Christian religion, and eventually, change conceptions of
human nature. Established the “Protestant ethic” and the beginnings
of modern capitalism.
Leadership- is an art and literature reached a peak in the Renaissance
period. The result is the revival of ancient philosophy and European
philosophers turning from supernatural to natural or rational
explanations of the world.
Vitruvian man- had been one of the most famous icons of this period.
Leonardo da Vinci- illustrated Vitruvius’ principle that a well-built
human with hands and feet extended fits perfectly into a circle and a
square.
Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler and Newton- Discovered
experimentation, observation and application of mathematics in the
natural sciences that set standards for philosophic inquiry.
Johnston (2006)- we should not overemphasize the triumphs of
modern science in the history of modern philosophy.
Descartes, Hobbes, Bacon, and others- There is no denying that the
advances in science during the 15th to 18th centuries. Yet, there are
other influences on the growth of philosophy.
The 17th-century philosophical shift was influenced by scientific
advancements and socio-political changes (widespread use of money,
commercialism, religious wars). Modern philosophy needed to
address the resulting societal turmoil.
17th Century Philosophy: Two Main Periods
A. Naturalism (First Period):
- Dominated the 17th century.
- Two central beliefs:
- Nature operates according to exact, irreversible laws.
- Humans thrive under strong, benevolent authoritarian
rule.
- Philosophers of this era shifted focus from medieval
piety to deifying nature, embracing geometrical
methods and the new physical sciences (Galileo’s
influence).
B. Rationalism (Second Period, implied):
- Descartes and Leibniz are key figures.
- Characterized by a method of escaping doubt through
reason and empirical study.
- The supernatural holds secondary importance.
C. Globalization and Technological innovation
I. Introduction to Globalization
A. Definition:
a. A process involving interactions between global systems, local practices,
transnational trends, and personal lifestyles.
B. Impact:
a. Positive or negative effects on individuals and communities.
C. Historical Background:
a. Origins in the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods in the West.
II. Industrial Revolution
A. 18th century, marked by scientific inventions.
B. Evolution of Terms:
a. Industry-initially referred to human skills, later to manufacturing
institutions.
b. Industrialism- concept developed in the 1830’s
C. Changes (Germain):
a. Machines replacing hand tools.
b. Steam and other power sources.
c. Factory system adoption.
III. Technological Advancements and Social Impact
A. Creation and Efficiency:
a. Creation of automated machines, minimal human supervision.
B. Shift in Society:
a. Reduced centrality of material goods of production.
C. Information Age:
a. Media Communication and the role of computers.
b. The rise of data processing and electronic transmission.
IV. Development of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
A. Science and Engineering of intelligent machines (John McCarthy, 1955).
B. Applications:
a. AI in scientific research.
b. Data analysis and sophisticated algorithms.
c. AI’s role in shaping industrial and social phenomena.
V. Connectivity and Data Sharing
A. Local and wide area networks enable data exchange.
B. Notebooks enable mobility in business and learning.
C. Software and Databases:
a. Interaction across online platforms.
b. Algorithm’s tracking user behavior.
VI. Challenges and Ethical Considerations
A. Data Privacy Concerns:
a. Identity exposure and consequences.
B. Disparities in Technology Access:
a. Developing countries lack resources for technological utilization.
b. Wealth nations’ advantage in globalization.
C. Ethical Use of Science and Technology:
a. Importance of enhancing lives, not exploiting or dominating people.
VII. Conclusion
A. Role of Globalization in Societal progress:
a. Positive: Promotes intellectual progress
b. Negative: Potential harm to local cultures and national sovereignty.
B. Inequality in Technological Benefits:
a. Advantage for the affluent.
b. Limited influence for those lacking technology (Ramos, 2003).
