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Introducing Renaissance Philosophy to the Undergraduate (Classics) Curriculum
- Classical Journal
- Johns Hopkins University Press
- Volume 117, Number 2, December 2021-January 2022
- pp. 205-222
- 10.1353/tcj.2021.0009
- Article
- Additional Information
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Abstract:
Renaissance thought, as well as its intertwined reception of classical texts, generally receives little interest in either Classics or Philosophy departments. In this article, I outline my experiences teaching Renaissance philosophy in the format of a survey course treating a broad range of thinkers (e.g., Ficino, Della Mirandola, Machiavelli) and themes (e.g., “mirror for princes”, myth of Venice), examine the available materials and consider the student learning outcomes underpinning such a course. By evaluating the skill set that students acquire from such a course which could enrich their study of classical antiquity, I argue for a more widespread adoption of Renaissance thought on the undergraduate Classics curriculum and suggest how such a course might be implemented.