ECU Libraries Catalog

Before enlightenment : play and illusion in Renaissance humanism / by Timothy Kircher.

Author/creator Kircher, Timothy author.
Format Book and Print
Publication Info Leiden ; Boston : Brill, [2021]
Descriptionviii, 293 pages : color illustrations ; 25 cm.
Subject(s)
Series Brill's studies in intellectual history, 0920-8607 ; volume 326
Brill's studies in intellectual history ; v. 326. ^A682319
Abstract "In Before Enlightenment: Play and Illusion in Renaissance Humanism, Timothy Kircher argues for new ways of appreciating Renaissance humanist philosophy. Literary qualities - tone, voice, persona, style, imagery - composed a core of their philosophizing, so that play and illusion, as well as rational certainty, formed pre-Enlightenment ideas about knowledge, ethics, and metaphysics. Before Enlightenment takes issue with the long-standing view of humanism's philosophical mediocrity. It shows new features of Renaissance culture that help explain the origins not only of Enlightenment rationalists, but also of early modern novelists and essayists. If humanist writings promoted objective knowledge based on reason's supremacy over emotion, they also showed awareness of one's place and play in the world. The animal rationale is also the homo ludens"-- Provided by publisher.
Bibliography noteIncludes bibliographical references and index.
Issued in other formOnline version: Kircher, Timothy, Before enlightenment Leiden ; Boston : Brill, 2020. 9789004442702
Genre/formCriticism, interpretation, etc.
Genre/formHistory.
LCCN 2020036017
ISBN9789004442696 hardcover
ISBN9004442693 hardcover
ISBNelectronic book

Available Items

Library Location Call Number Status Item Actions
Joyner General Stacks PN731 .K57 2021 ✔ Available Place Hold