Talk:Renaissance technology

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[edit] Commonscat

Could somebody be so kind and put the label "technology" on the scat (didn't figure it out to do it myself)?. Gun Powder Ma 14:18, 2 April 2007 (UTC)

You mean to this template? I've added a link to this article there. I found the template by clicking "edit this page" and scrolling down to the very bottom of the page. Underneath the edit box will be listed any templates which an article uses. I don't know if there's a quicker way of doing it. Robotman¹⁹⁷⁴ 17:51, 2 April 2007 (UTC)

Great job. Never would have thought looking there. Gun Powder Ma 13:55, 3 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Medieval vs Renaissance

How does one differentiate between Medieval vs Renaissance for the purposes of technology? Normally the Middle Ages go up to the end of the 15th century, with the Renaissance a chronological sub-set, which emphasizes certain things such as humanism and high culture. Is there a scholarly tradition of discussing "Renaissance technology"? -- Stbalbach 23:48, 2 April 2007 (UTC)

I would say there is. Take for example the so-called artist-engineers of the Renaissance (Brunelleschi, Ghiberti, Taccola, Giorgio, da Vinci) with their abundant drawings on all kind of devices. Although these engineers flourished in the 15th century, medieval scholars are reluctant to discuss their drawings because they are so much more advanced in design and pictural representation than those of, say, de Honnecourt (13th century). Conventionally, AFAIK, the Italian Renaissance starts with dome of Florence (1420s) and reached Western Europe with the rapid spread of Gutenberg's printing press after 1450s.

So, as a working thesis, I would propose to mark a line between medieval and Renaissance technolgy between 1420 and 1450 (Eastern Europe perhaps 1500), depending on the country we are talking about.Gun Powder Ma 13:55, 3 April 2007 (UTC)

Ok, so for the purposes of the "Medieval technology" article, the Middle Ages end at 1420? Is this what Medieval historians like White do? -- Stbalbach 22:56, 3 April 2007 (UTC)

They like to include Taccola's (d. 1450) sketches as they are assumed to depict mechanical devices partly long known, but no Medievalists would lightly speak of da Vinci's drawings, Brunelleschi's dome or Gutenberg's printing press as still essentially medieval. Note that I left out any references to these things in Medieval technology. Regards Gun Powder Ma 23:51, 3 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] dates

I have not filled in the date column, because I am not certain of what they are. I only know the approximate dates of introduction to Britain. In some cases the dates may be controversial. Peterkingiron 23:51, 6 April 2007 (UTC)

That's ok as far as I am concerned. Much better to leave the space open than to introduce uncertain stuff. We'll work on it. Gun Powder Ma 16:31, 7 April 2007 (UTC)

I'm not sure I would agree that Medieval technology stops at the end of the 14th century, nor would many sources.. but this is part of an older and larger debate since the 19th century. -- 22:25, 4 April 2007 (UTC)

Sometimes to be best not to try to define such boundaries too closely. One possibility is the fall of Constantinople in 1453. In Britain, 1485 (a change of dynasty) is a convenient date, but that is for a political event not a cultural one. The important thing is to ensure that we do not get overlapping articles (which may contradict each other. Peterkingiron 23:45, 6 April 2007 (UTC)

Really, there is no exact line to draw. Renaissance literature, for example, starts concentionally with Dante as early as 1340! One of many borderline case is oil print (ca. 1410) which I just added to medieval technology, although it could be argued just as well that the technique really lifted-off with the Renaissance. But, well, this is work in progress....isn't it. ;-) Regards Gun Powder Ma 16:31, 7 April 2007 (UTC)