70 HISTORY AND SIGNIFICANCE OF SCIENCE 



civilization. The Greek language had practically disappeared 

 in Italy during the darkest centuries, but was recovered 

 toward the close of the scholastic period. This revival of the 

 older learning, which was effected mainly during the four- 

 teenth and early fifteenth centuries, was a point of departure, 

 but the distinctive feature of the Renaissance in science was 

 the acquisition of factual knowledge that was wholly new and 

 the change of spiritual outlook which this knowledge 

 gradually forced upon mankind. 



A feature of the Renaissance which is of more vital signifi- 

 cance is that its intellectual development falls into two 

 periods which form a natural sequence but which are rather 

 clearly separated. From the early fourteenth to the middle 

 fifteenth century the spirit was one of skepticism toward 

 traditional explanations and a growing rationalism regarding 

 scientific questions. After 1450 constructive thought was 

 increasingly evident. During the earlier period many 

 medieval superstitions survived and false sciences like 

 astrology continued to flourish. During the later period 

 these hindrances were removed by the increase of factual 

 knowledge. By the close of the seventeenth century the 

 calm and consciously rational spirit of science is seen among 

 progressive thinkers, and thus the characteristic feature of 

 the modern mind becomes established. 



But the most distinctive aspect of the period under dis- 

 cussion was the widening of intellectual horizon and the 

 resultant effects upon imagination. The science of the 

 Renaissance is, therefore, in contrast with that of our own 

 day which has been distinguished by its material achieve- 

 ments. During the Renaissance, man came for the first time 

 to know himself and to know the world. The horizon of 

 human experience became suddenly extended to an un- 

 dreamed of distance. This spiritual influence of the new 

 learning may be visualized by an exhibition, in tabular form, 



place. However, it did bring to western Europe a number of scholars and 

 some new manuscripts. 



