Introducing Renaissance Philosophy to the Undergraduate (Classics) Curriculum

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.