Thursday, February 10, 2022

975: The Change....

 When discussing the history of a concept you move from the moment in history to moment in history. 

  

In period A it was defined as...., in period B it was defined as....and so on. It looks like a concept moves from definition to definition through time, but in fact, it is a slow process of step-by-step changes. 

  

Such is the transition from Middle Ages to the Renaissance. Changes take centuries, so let's have a look at the historical context of those days between 1250 to 1350 and on.

  

The development of towns, trade, and industry, which became increasingly important towards the end of the Middle Ages, would prove incompatible with the economics of feudalism.

    

Feudalism was the dominant social system in medieval Europe, in which the nobility held lands from the Crown in exchange for military service,

   

and vassals were in turn tenants of the nobles, while the peasants were obliged to live on their lord's land and give him homage, labour, and a share of the produce, notionally in exchange for military protection. 

   

The changes, which were unfolding slowly beneath the surface of the feudal order, finally became manifest, ushering in one place after another a new economic and scientific order.

    

Better techniques, better means of transport, and wider markets meant that the production of goods for sale grew steadily. 

   

The towns where these markets were located, had long played a secondary, almost parasitic role in the feudal economy. 

  

It first became the predominant form of the economy in the 15th century in the strip of land that stretched from Italy through southern Germany and the Rhineland to Holland. 

  

In this area, only in Italy the larger cities such as Venice, Genoa, Florence, and Milan could achieve political and economic independence and produce the brilliant artistic and intellectual civilization of the Renaissance.  

  

But by the 15th century, the citizens, the bourgeoisie, had grown so strong that they began to transform this economy

  

into one in which payment in money, and not enforced service to a lord, determined the mode of production. 

  

The new phenomenon was the emergence of a middle class, a social layer between the rich elite and the real poor people. 

  

The bourgeoisie and the capitalist economic system that developed this economy were victorious only after very fierce political, religious and intellectual struggles. 

   

Of course, the process of change was slow, and not everywhere at the same pace. The process had already begun in Italy in the 13th century, 

  

but even in the very rapidly developing countries of Holland and England, the bourgeoisie had not gained power until the mid-17th century. 

   

Two more centuries would pass before this class would rule all of Europe and it was in this historical context, that the concept of individual freedom began to emerge. 

  

And here we are, in Italy, around 1350. For a start, I'd like to mention one name: Francesco Petrarca (1304 -1374). 

  

You may wonder, why is one man often so important to the course of history? It is the other way around: history is ready for that one man,

    

Like Hitler wasn't THE cause of World War II. The historical conditions were just right to give such a man his audience. 

   

Such was the situation with Petrarca. He discovered the writings of Cicero (106 - 43 BC) and these writings offered him the political ideas, that fitted the 'Zeitgeist' like a glove. 

  

To end with one cue regarding what Cicero had to offer: Cicero’s philosophy is characterized by a strong sense of individualism.

  

To be continued next Thursday....Thank you for your attention. The floor is yours.....



Main Sources:
MacMillan The Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2nd edition
Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 1995
 http://plato.stanford.edu/contents.htm
Annelien de Dijn: "Freedom. An unruly history".  2020


The Discussion

   

[13:16] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): Thank you Herman

[13:16] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako):

[13:16] herman Bergson: There are a few highlights here to mention....

[13:16] mika Vemo: Thank you

[13:16] herman Bergson: one...the emergence of a middle class

[13:17] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ah

[13:17] herman Bergson: two....production becomes related to trade and money. So money becomes important here

[13:18] herman Bergson: three....A willing ear for individualism

[13:18] herman Bergson: The later had been obscured for almost a millennium....

[13:18] herman Bergson: in the general discourse

[13:19] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): why took it so long?

[13:19] herman Bergson: What is the comment of your socks, Beertje? :-)

[13:19] herman Bergson: why took it so long.....?

[13:20] herman Bergson: THAT is a good question, because it contains a basic mistake we easily make....

[13:20] herman Bergson: Let me give you an example...

[13:20] herman Bergson: Petrarca corresponded with a lot of people....

[13:20] herman Bergson: That very idea makes me already wonder....

[13:21] herman Bergson: Was there a postal service...how did the letter find its way...who delivered it...

[13:21] herman Bergson: and most important....

[13:21] herman Bergson: How long did it take to get a letter from Avignon (France) to Rome for instance?

[13:21] herman Bergson: Weeks? Months?

[13:22] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): depends on the horses

[13:22] herman Bergson: But it DID arrive....

[13:22] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): they changed horsed at the roman tempels in Germany f.i

[13:22] herman Bergson: And this is what I mean with the basic mistake we make when looking at history...

[13:23] herman Bergson: There was a postal service you know of Beertje?

[13:23] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): yes

[13:23] herman Bergson: cool

[13:23] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): not like today "oops we managed to send your package to norway even it WAS at the terminal in your city before" (a friend ordering a graphic card and delivery messed up completley, he canceled the order in the end)

[13:23] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): they could change horses there,

[13:23] herman Bergson: But nevertheless it took at least a week if not longer I guess

[13:24] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): yes of course

[13:24] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): aaa

[13:24] herman Bergson: the mistake is, that we are used to our email being replied within a minute, a letter delivered the next day

[13:25] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): i guess it took longer than a few weeks

[13:25] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): i don't know if im just lucky or my friend unlucky, but I order 3D printers, 3D printer parts and material and laptops and they all arrive correctly for me in a few days

[13:25] herman Bergson: What I mean to say is, that everything in those days went very slow according to what we are used to

[13:25] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): or if it is because there is a good delivery spot just nearby here where i slive

[13:25] Now playing: LE ROUX - Pappa

[13:26] herman Bergson: so ...historical developments took months and years

[13:26] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hmm when comm is slow ideas travel slow also

[13:26] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): true

[13:26] herman Bergson: an important book might have taken a year to get from scholar a to B

[13:27] herman Bergson: Petrarca complained about waiting 14 years on the return of a book he lent to a friend :-)

[13:27] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): those books wer one of a kindin those days

[13:27] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): its not like today in the age of internet i can send a message to someone in Australia and he has it 0.00000000001 seconds later

[13:27] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): speed of light

[13:27] herman Bergson: yes...for instance one book had only 14 copies...

[13:27] herman Bergson: printing was just invented in those days

[13:28] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): yes

[13:28] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): written by hand

[13:28] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): before Gutenberg even

[13:28] herman Bergson: 1455 by Gutenberg...before that indeed written by jhand....

[13:28] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): yes

[13:29] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): the inventor of the printing press

[13:29] herman Bergson: just imagine how much time such a copy by hand took to be made

[13:29] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): rewriting everything for every book from start

[13:29] herman Bergson: So..when we look at the Renaissance...think slow ^_^

[13:30] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont):

[13:30] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ah

[13:30] herman Bergson: A major change took 200 years

[13:30] herman Bergson: today just 2 minutwes sometimes

[13:31] herman Bergson: A side track Beertje made me think of....

[13:31] herman Bergson: Must be super interesting...the history of the postal service....

[13:31] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ah

[13:31] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): indeed

[13:31] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): in Germany are roman tempels

[13:32] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): there they could eat and drink and change horses

[13:32] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): rest a bit

[13:32] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ah

[13:33] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): in France i don't know how they changed horses

[13:33] herman Bergson: What year are you talking about Beertje....During the Roman Empire of in the 14th century?

[13:33] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): they still exist

[13:33] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): i was there

[13:34] herman Bergson: Yes but the horses are replaced by trucks ...are they gasstations today? :-))

[13:34] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): no, the roman tempels are still today

[13:34] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): but not for horses anymore

[13:34] herman Bergson: Guess you have been there?

[13:35] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): yes

[13:35] herman Bergson: Interesting

[13:35] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): it was interesting to hear the story

[13:35] herman Bergson: I gonna look into that history somewhat....sounds interesting

[13:35] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): yes

[13:36] herman Bergson: There must have been some kind of postal service...

[13:36] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): yes

[13:36] herman Bergson: I am curious....I want to know :-)

[13:36] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): somehow a system to pass messages in some form

[13:37] herman Bergson: yes,,,

[13:37] herman Bergson: ok...but keep in mind....

[13:38] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): there must heve been places to change horses, a horse needs to rest

[13:38] herman Bergson: if you look at historical changes in 1400 or so....think slow :-)

[13:38] herman Bergson: then there must have been a system of horse replacements....

[13:39] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): yes replacements:))

[13:39] herman Bergson: a number of horses stationed along a route

[13:39] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): yes

[13:39] herman Bergson: at different stations

[13:39] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): yes

[13:40] herman Bergson: sounds intriguing

[13:41] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ah

[13:42] herman Bergson: On Thursday we'll discuss what made Cicero so interesting for the Renaissance humanists...

[13:42] herman Bergson: The point is, that this middle class in the Italian cities didn't like to be without political influence

[13:43] herman Bergson: Or..like the Ancient Greeks would say....wouldn't like to be slaves  under a tyrant

[13:44] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): nobody wants to be a slave

[13:44] herman Bergson: Unless you still have a question or remark.....

[13:44] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): true

[13:44] herman Bergson: get ready for Thursday....:-)

[13:44] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont):

[13:44] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako):

[13:44] herman Bergson: Class dismissed...

[13:45] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): Thank you Herman

[[13:45] bergfrau Apfelbaum: thank you Herman and class!

[13:45] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako):

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