18th Century What Makes the 18th Century

¶ … 18th Century

What makes the 18th century such a vast plethora of diverse opinions, creations and philosophies is the fact that the world was changing in a variety of ways. The Industrial Revolution and rationalism were having profound effects upon previously held religious and esthetic ideals. While some passionately pursued new directions of thought, science and art, others held desperately to old philosophies. Furthermore the different countries of the globe expressed their views and philosophies in different ways in reaction to the changes occurring within their borders.

Philosophers such as the German, Immanuel Kant for example applied universal, reasonable rules to all science, morality and art. According to Kant, these rules were to be followed by all rational beings (Brehier 67). John Locke followed the same philosophy, finding that all understanding needs to be based upon the use of the senses. In a more esthetic sense, this English philosopher also believed that all persons are born good and equal. In France, Jean Jacques Rousseau represented to a great degree the French way of thinking during the Age of Enlightenment. For Rousseau, the human being in his natural state was morally superior to the corruption spawned by civilization (Brehier 109). The above are just three of the diverse views during a century where science, art, philosophy and indeed the world were in a state of upheaval and change.

2. American Transcendentalists

The premise of American Transcendentalism rests upon questioning what is established in terms cultural forms. This is supplemented by an attempt to reintegrate spirit and matter, as well as transforming ideas into action. In short, this movement entails a reinvention of the world and how it is perceived by human beings. This includes philosophy, science, religion and the interaction of these in life.

Transcendentalism therefore attempts to find ways in which the empiricist and materialistic views pioneered during the eighteenth century could be replaced by something more ephemeral. According to this view, absolute spiritual truths can be found directly by means of the mind instead of through the senses or external authorities (Barbour, 77). There is however an inherent tension within the movement between joint action and individual development. Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau for example were of the opinion that improvement could not occur unless it began within the individual, while others of the movement such as Brownson and Peabody felt that the movement required joint action rather than an emphasis on individualism (Barbour 98).

The main premise of the movement was however always to transcend the materialistic through the spiritual, and often by means of elements such as nature and thought rather than the experience of the physical senses.

PART 2

The Renaissance

The Renaissance, especially in architecture and art, was concerned greatly with mathematics, beauty and nature. This becomes clear in a variety of works created by the most prominent of the masters of the period. In architecture then the concern was mainly to create a harmony of all parts of a building by means of symmetry and order in geometric proportion. Many of the designs also include Classical elements of architecture.

An example of Renaissance architecture is the work of the Italian, Andrea Palladio. Part of this architect's education included going to Rome to study and measure the ruins of the buildings there. This resulted in a book, and also in Palladio's continual passion for measurement, symmetry and mathematics in architecture. As is evident from works such as Valmarana palaces and the Villa Capri, Palladio's style shows evidence of the Renaissance concern with harmonious proportion and symmetry (Burke 85). These are all elements of recognizing the beauty of mathematics and visual presentation. Furthermore the functionality of the architects buildings were coupled with mathematical shapes such as arches and rectangular spaces, which functioned to provide more light to the building, while an open, harmonious facade was shown.

A further study of the Renaissance concern with beauty can be found in Michelangelo's sculptures. His relief sculptures, "The Battle of the Centaurs" and "The Madonna of the Stairs" for example show the artist's knowledge of the human body and its beauty, as well as his obsession and conflict within the beauty of religion. All the parts of the sculptures fit together in perfect harmony, in keeping with the Renaissance concern (Burke 120).