[dr_lew]

To point out the advances of the Middle Ages is not to denigrate the Renaissance. This simply demonstrates that the Renaissance achievements depended on the achievements of the Middles Ages as much as any recovery of the achievements of ancient Roman or Greece.

Absolutely! For example, Galileo challenged the moribund scholastic interpretation of Aristotle from the standpoint of an independently developed intelligence : "Now I want them to see that just as nature has given them, as well as to philosophers, eyes with which to see her works, so she has given them brains capable of penetrating and understanding them."

[stripes1776]

Absolutely! For example, Galileo challenged the moribund scholastic interpretation of Aristotle from the standpoint of an independently developed intelligence : "Now I want them to see that just as nature has given them, as well as to philosophers, eyes with which to see her works, so she has given them brains capable of penetrating and understanding them."

I don't know what you mean by "moribund scholastic interpretation". Scholasticism was not a monolith. There were different schools within it and much lively debate and reasoned argumentation between the various parties. As for your quote from Galileo, I would call that a very fair summary of the philosophy Thomas Aquinas. He insisted on the validity of reason to understand objective reality conveyed by the senses. This is why the Augustinians opposed his philosophy. But Aquinas won that argument, though posthumously.