Renaissance Cosmographical Knowledge and Religious Discourse: A ‘Disenchantment of the World’?
Sociologists, philosophers and historians (Weber, Blumenberg, Gauchet) have identified a so-called ‘disenchantment of the world’ which began to be perceptible during the Renaissance. The article discusses the historical relevance of the concept and that of secularization as applied to the history of...
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| Language: | English |
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Firenze University Press
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Journal of Early Modern Studies |
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| Online Access: | https://oajournals.fupress.net/index.php/bsfm-jems/article/view/14389 |
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| author | Étienne Bourdon |
| author_facet | Étienne Bourdon |
| author_sort | Étienne Bourdon |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Sociologists, philosophers and historians (Weber, Blumenberg, Gauchet) have identified a so-called ‘disenchantment of the world’ which began to be perceptible during the Renaissance. The article discusses the historical relevance of the concept and that of secularization as applied to the history of early modern cosmographical knowledge. I draw a distinction between geography and cosmography in arguing that the process of ‘disenchantment’ was an uneven and complex process. On the one hand, cartography and geography moved away from biblical and Christian readings of the world. On the other hand, cosmography was seen as enabling a form of knowledge of the Divine describing the entire Creation. At the same time, it will be argued that geography in its mediation of earthly knowledge promoted a resetting and restructuring of a system of re-enchantment. All in all, knowledge, science and rationality contributed to appease a ‘panic-stricken Christianity’ (Crouzet). |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-abfddd54d8a04f18b1b2c016ffe952aa |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2279-7149 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | Firenze University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Early Modern Studies |
| spelling | doaj-art-abfddd54d8a04f18b1b2c016ffe952aa2025-08-20T03:09:08ZengFirenze University PressJournal of Early Modern Studies2279-71492023-03-011210.36253/jems-2279-7149-1438913215Renaissance Cosmographical Knowledge and Religious Discourse: A ‘Disenchantment of the World’?Étienne Bourdon0Université Grenoble AlpesSociologists, philosophers and historians (Weber, Blumenberg, Gauchet) have identified a so-called ‘disenchantment of the world’ which began to be perceptible during the Renaissance. The article discusses the historical relevance of the concept and that of secularization as applied to the history of early modern cosmographical knowledge. I draw a distinction between geography and cosmography in arguing that the process of ‘disenchantment’ was an uneven and complex process. On the one hand, cartography and geography moved away from biblical and Christian readings of the world. On the other hand, cosmography was seen as enabling a form of knowledge of the Divine describing the entire Creation. At the same time, it will be argued that geography in its mediation of earthly knowledge promoted a resetting and restructuring of a system of re-enchantment. All in all, knowledge, science and rationality contributed to appease a ‘panic-stricken Christianity’ (Crouzet).https://oajournals.fupress.net/index.php/bsfm-jems/article/view/14389cosmographydisenchantment of the worldgeographyknowledgerenaissance |
| spellingShingle | Étienne Bourdon Renaissance Cosmographical Knowledge and Religious Discourse: A ‘Disenchantment of the World’? Journal of Early Modern Studies cosmography disenchantment of the world geography knowledge renaissance |
| title | Renaissance Cosmographical Knowledge and Religious Discourse: A ‘Disenchantment of the World’? |
| title_full | Renaissance Cosmographical Knowledge and Religious Discourse: A ‘Disenchantment of the World’? |
| title_fullStr | Renaissance Cosmographical Knowledge and Religious Discourse: A ‘Disenchantment of the World’? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Renaissance Cosmographical Knowledge and Religious Discourse: A ‘Disenchantment of the World’? |
| title_short | Renaissance Cosmographical Knowledge and Religious Discourse: A ‘Disenchantment of the World’? |
| title_sort | renaissance cosmographical knowledge and religious discourse a disenchantment of the world |
| topic | cosmography disenchantment of the world geography knowledge renaissance |
| url | https://oajournals.fupress.net/index.php/bsfm-jems/article/view/14389 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT etiennebourdon renaissancecosmographicalknowledgeandreligiousdiscourseadisenchantmentoftheworld |