Renaissance ( 14 th century - 17 th century CE):
The Renaissance marked a revival of classical
learning and a renewed interest in human
capabilities. Renaissance humanists like Petrarch and
Erasmus emphasized the importance of human
intellect and the pursuit of knowledge. This period
saw the emergence of the "Renaissance man," an
idealized individual who excelled in multiple
intellectual fields.
The Enlightenment ( 17 th century - 18 th century
CE): The Age of Enlightenment brought about
significant changes in the concept of intelligence.
Thinkers like René Descartes emphasized reason as
the foundation of knowledge. Descartes famously
declared, "Cogito, ergo sum" (I think, therefore I
am), highlighting the centrality of individual thought
and consciousness.
The Enlightenment philosophers,
including John Locke, Jean-Jacques
Rousseau, and Immanuel Kant,
contributed to the development of
modern notions of intelligence. Locke's
empiricism argued that the mind was a
blank slate (tabula rasa) upon which
experience wrote, shaping an
individual's intelligence. Rousseau's
ideas on education stressed the
importance of nurturing natural
intelligence and individuality. Kant's
work on epistemology and metaphysics
laid the groundwork for understanding
how human cognition operates.