Volume VI spans the time period 1350-1600 and covers early Humanisms to late Renaissance thought. Central to the volume is the newly emerging studia humanitatis, which either takes the place of or establishes itself alongside the formerly dominant system of artes liberales, with the main disciplines of language (grammar, dialectic, rhetoric and poetics), ethics, politics and history. The volume includes a comprehensive introduction to the cultural preconditions of the period’s thought as well as the key terms ‘Renaissance’ and ‘ Humanism’.

Thomas Leinkauf is Professor of Philosophy at the University at Münster, where he is also Director of the Leibniz Research Institute. He is editor of the Italian-German edition of the works of Giordano Bruno.