Modern Philosophy Essay, Research Paper

1. The modern world is considered to be the time from the Renaisance (late 15th to 16th century) to the end of the 19th century. Many changes took place during these times. We first see a change in the Division of Philosophy. We see the Medieval Theopocentric views change to an anthropocentric view and monotheism to humanism. Much focus was now placed on humans. We looked to ourselves as the root source of all the values that are important to us. The knowledge that the human gathers is very powerful. With this view and new knowledge we see that people have natural rights. We no longer believe that order is established by birth. We begin to see a demand for Parlimentary government. Constitutionally correct republics are established.

Economic importance overthrows the old feudal system and two new classes are introduced. This is also the period that we move to the industrial revolution. During the modern period we see a growth of towns, an increase of commercial trade, expansion into Atlantic, Renaissance and Reformation. There is also a rise in science. Perhaps because we are focused on knowledge being power.

Natural rights are introduced. This leads to the development of parliamentary government. People begin to seek representation in government. Local government parties are changing to centralized government parties.

Cities continue to grow and a change from the rural environment to and urban centered environment is seen.

Agriculture and handicraft used to be a big part of the medieval times. In the modern era we see and increase in manufacturing and industry. The importance on local production and consumption is changed to a concentration in growth of commerce and trade and expanding markets. There is an increase in free labor, problems with citizenship are introduced and people become very conscience of proper forms of hygiene.

What was once seen as a closed universe, fixed in time, space and purpose, is now viewed as an open universe. We became open to new discovery, dimension and infinite cosmos. This seems to go hand in hand with the increased interest in science.

Wisdom seems to be the pre-basis of the pre-modern world. People adapt and harmonize ones owns lifes with God’s fixed order of life gives place to idea of altering what we find.

People once identified themselves as groups, clans or tribes. They now identified themselves as individuals with the idea that they stood on their own.