Montaigne Essay Example

One of the greatest renaissance thinkers Montaigne Often took himself as the object of study in his Essays. While using himself he attempted to weigh mankind and Asses his nature, habits and his own opinions and those of others. He was searching for truth by reflecting on his readings, travels, and experiences both public and private. His writing style is light and un-technical. He was also a great example of a renaissance skeptic and fiedism. Fiedism is a strategy, which uses skepticism in order to clear ground for Catholicism. Probably one of the greatest examples would be His Apology for Raymond Sebond.

As a young child he had a german tutor, who spoke to him in latin only. When he was six and a half he was sent to the College of Guyenne at Bordeux, where he stayed for seven years. It is believed that he studied logic and dialects for two years at the Bordeaux Faculty of Arts, with Marc-de Muret as tutor. Then he studied law possibly at Boreoux. Then he became a counselor at the Cour des Aides of Perigord he was soon incorporated like his colleagues in the parliament of Bordeaux. The new councellor had no likeing for his proffessin, and he was often absent from the Parlement. From 1553 to 1561 he attended the court. Two years later he married Francois de la chassaigne, the daughter of parliamentary advocate. They had five daughters only one out lived him. In 1571 he went on a journey where he started writing his essays. When he came back there was letter for him to become mayor, which he accepted and held for four years. Montage tries to humble mans pride There is a plague on man, the opinion that he knows something This skepticism is connected with the doctrine of Christian folly which say god s wisdom is to b found in the lowly and meek and that the belief that one has knowledge prevents one from accepting the truths of religion. He argues that man is inferior to beast.

In his Apology for Raymond Sebond The renaissance was a period of expanding horizons and one in which there was a large increase in knowledge of the world and its inhabitants. At the same time Europeans were recovering Latin culture and more complete grasp of Greek literature. Science was developing. New horizons made previous truths seem wrong or parochial. These discoveries provided Montaigne as well as other philosopher a loft of new facts and ideas to increase our sense of relativity of all mans belief about him self and the world in whic