Post on 21-Jan-2016
Reformations & the Protestant Work Ethic (1500s -1700s)
A note on Reformations
Renaissance: Intellectual
Protestant: Spiritual & Individualism
English: Political
The Renaissance:(1490s – 1700s)
Birth of Humanism Ability of the human mind
Time of re-thinking Mysticism to rationalism
Universities emerge Liberalism Dissent Threat to Roman Catholisism
Printing Press
The Renaissance: (1490s – 1700s)
Intellectual Reformation
Rediscovery of Greek Classics
Aristotle (384 -322 BCE) Test for knowledge
logicEarth SciencesClassificationDissection
The Renaissance: Birth of ScienceRadical Idea: Search for answers in nature (laws) Nature made perfect by “Man” [sic]
Legitimizes secular authority
Medical advances Hands on experiments Increased population
The Renaissance: Birth of ScienceRadical Idea: Search for answers in nature (laws) Nature made perfect by “Man” [sic]
Legitimizes secular authority
Medical advances Hands on experiments Increased population
Renaissance & Reason
The Prince – Machiavelli (1513)
Reason becomes understood in terms of calculation*
Virtue becomes the deeds men must do..
““rich treasury rich treasury & poor citizens”& poor citizens”
Gallileo (1563-1643)
Challenged Aristotle's essence of objects & world
Trial 1633 Scholasticism Aquinas work...Scholastic philosophy was written by and
for the clergy who dominated European universities
The Renaissance: Birth of ScienceRadical Idea: Search for answers in nature (laws) Nature made perfect by “Man” [sic]
Legitimizes secular authority
Medical advances Hands on experiments Increased population
Protestant Reformation
Martin Luther (1483 – 1546)• Holy Roman Empire
• Germany• Coal mining community• Late Industrialization
Professor of TheologyMonkLegal Scholar
The Protestant Reformation
1517 – The 95 Theses
Castle Church, Wittenberg Protestant Reformation Affirmed secular
authority Questions wealth of
church vs. poor
English Reformation
Protestant Work Ethic: Abstinence Rewards in afterlife (salvation)
Work hard, save, moderate consumption, belief
Success indicates “Gods blessing”
Weber: Critique of Work Ethic
Individualism w/emphasis on labor and success benefits capitalism
Ideal laborersMiddle ClassPoverty = individual
flaw state not responsible