chose a contemporary area of impact and a specific sphere of influence. The focus on Leonardo da Vinci. how can I improve the introduction?

Annotated Bibliography:

Cathy Bieniek

Humn-303-Introduction to Humanities

Professor Pisano

Date: 7-23-2016

The Renaissance affected the course of the advancement of cutting edge American culture, society, and since it is a characteristic augmentation of both, artistic expression. The Renaissance in America realized another emphasis on humanism and thus, a resulting move in the opposite direction of the overwhelming goals set forth by congregation. Despite the fact that religion was still of the best impact all through the time of the Renaissance, the unfolding acknowledgment of human potential and logical request molded the course of Western history still impacts American culture today. Standards of artistic expression, especially as they showed up in the works of Leonardo de Vinci throughout the Renaissance, have remained indispensable in all parts of modern culture and provided inspiration and guidance to innumerable artists, scientists, engineers, and doctors since his death five centuries ago.

Witoszek, N. (2014). Leonardo da Vinci Our Contemporary?. Worldviews: Global Religions,
Culture & Economy, 18(2), 122-143. doi:10.1163/15685357-01802002.

In this article, Witoszek is writing in response to historians who claim that the European Renaissance has either waned or has been declining swiftly. He investigates and reevaluates the concepts and representations of Renaissance humanism and how these ideas are illustrated through the works of Leonardo da Vinci. Three main arguments are addressed. The first argument delves into the ecological forces in Leonardo's opus representative of the relationship between humans and nature, and its relevance to a fundamental change in approach imposed by the "current environmental and social crisis", (Witiszek, 2014). Nature, humanity and progress are interconnected, He maintains that a good deal that can be learned from the "small and subversive community of Renaissance umanasti" when imagining a more sustainable future (Witiszek, 2014). Leonardo, in 1502, worked with Machiavelli on a project to alter the course of the Arno river. The project was a failure but the ideas Leonardo held in terms of the interconnection of the natural world and humanity influenced Machiavelli who echoed this concept in the central metaphors in "The Prince", a political anthropology which would come to define social order. The "umanasti" established an advanced ethical vision which developed into the foundation of Western innovation. There are two direct influences stemming from the Renaissance. The first is illustrated in "De Hominis Dignitate", an oration which personified the endless possibilities one has in determining the course of their life. A darker view is seen in the wars, greed, corruption, and the Inquisition. Lastly, Leonardo's legacy and a rethinking of nature and humanity in the viewpoints of the Renaissance and thinkers place the focus on a distinctive code of eco-humanism. Eco-humanism accentuates human dignity, nature's self-sufficiency and authority, the right to ask questions and speak freely, and stresses the use of laws to limit human pursuits. Renaissance humanism, as expressed by artists, and writers, is composed of nonconforming intellectuals who challenged the religious dictate. Leonardo da Vinci and many other artists and writers sought a balance between the natural state and culture, in an effort to change the world.

Prus, R (2014). Engaging Love, Divinity, and Philosophy: Pragmatism, Personification, and
Autoethnographic Motifs in the Humanist Poetics of Brunetto Latini, Dante Alighieri.
and Giovanni Boccaccio. Qualitative Sociology Review. 10 (3), 6.

This article examines the works of three authors of the humanist movement whose writings focused on the study of the human condition, and realism, and have been influential in the social science ventures of the 21st century. This pragmatism has its roots in the Classical Greek era, particularly Aristotle, whose focus was on people gaining knowledge and understanding of the humanly known world. He stressed the "unity of the mind, body, and activity in a community context" (Prus, 2014). It was Aristotle who expressed concepts of community, activity, objects, and communication in a similar fashion to modern pragmatic thought.

The works of Latini, Dante Alighieri, and Boccaccio both benefitted from the pragmatic tradition and also contributed to its prolonged existence. Each developed material that addressed human knowledge and actions in precise and lasting terms, providing vital sociological insights. They did this through their accounts of the characters and their interactions and their style of writing. These early renaissance authors render extraordinarily "self-reflective" texts offering significant insight in the life-world of the subjects whom the authors speak about, the audience, the ideals and experiences of the author's own culture as witnessed through their writing. These writers permit us to appreciate facets of pragmatist importance placed on "human knowing and acting through their attentiveness to people's perspectives, speech, deliberation, action, and interaction" (Prus, 2014).

Contemporary scholars in social sciences gain valuable insight through the presentation of generic standpoints, focusing on affective relationships, and considering morality as a community matter. Studying the works of Letini, Dante Alighieri, and Boccaccio offers contemporary scholars in the social sciences important historical and cultural comparative and conceptual reference points.

Cooper, M. (1994). A Man for All Time. Faces, 11(1), 28.
In this article, Cooper describes some of Leonardo da Vinci's inventions, describing him as a "master artist and master scientist". One of his most well-known paintings, Mona Lisa, is only one of his many contributions to modern society. Leonardo da Vinci was a prolific inventor who believed that science and the workings of nature were intricately linked. He studied subject matter ranging from the wind and water to the study of human anatomy. He believed in putting this knowledge to practical use, and continually thought of ways to do this. This was exemplified through the variety of inventions ranging from household aids and industrial machines to scientific instruments. Few of his inventions came into being in his lifetime due to the fact that da Vinci would automatically move on to the next idea. Da Vinci kept meticulous notebooks complete with drawings and notes written in mirror writing. For da Vinci, "science was the knowledge of things possible in the future, of the present, and of the past" (Cooper, 1994). The invention of the printing press made mastering the science of the past easier, with the printing of the classics written by the ancient Greeks. Da Vinci studied on his own, thus improving on the practical and theoretical ideas of his era. His ideas and inventions were forward looking. He foresaw the advent of the radio and telephone, having written "Men from the most remote regions shall speak to one another and shall reply" (Cooper, 1994). Da Vinci's notebooks included ideas such as two level bridges to accommodate traffic jams, the parachute, the helicopter, and the monkey wrench.

Lewis, R., (2010). "Francis Bacon, Allegory and the Uses of Myth." Review of English
Studies,61, 250: 360. Publisher Provided Full Text Searching File, EBSCOhost (accessed July 29,2016.

Lewis, in "Francis Bacon, Allegory and the Uses of Myth.", discusses how Bacon reinterpreted 31 classical fables. Bacon viewed ancient mythology as a form of allegory, which if read with a deeper intent revealed the wisdom of ancient times on such matters of morality, politics, and philosophy. This essay studies the "De Sapentia" ("Of Innovations") along with other of Bacon's published and unpublished works and restructures his theory of myth. This reconstruction is attained through an early modern context and Bacons own program for the reformation of learning (Lewis, 2010). In this comparison, the belief that Bacon's mythography was simply an effort to present his ideas to an audience in a form that didn't arouse suspicion was challenged. Bacon believed that traditional learning exacted respect and serious attention in spite of its deficiencies. He sought the middle ground, neither destroying what the ancients duly created nor denying what more modern men offered. The correct path in Bacon's opinion was a balanced appraisal of history and classical mythology. The outcome was that Bacon's mythographic thought manifests itself as an example of his unflinching commitment to the scholarly heritage of humanism.

While following the structure of traditional mythography, Bacon reinserted the spirit that had originally brought it to life.