THE EPICUREAN TRADITION AND ITS RECEPTION IN THE HISTORICAL, CULTURAL AND HUMANISTIC VIEWS OF THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ITALIAN RENAISSANCE

The article is devoted to the study of the views of the representatives of the Italian Renaissance: G. Cavalcanti, F. Petrarch, L. Bruni, F. Biondo, A. Beccadelli, L. Valla, C. Raimondi, and J. Vanini. The philosophers of the present epoch, who stood on the positions of Epicureanism, considered the teaching of Epicurus to be the basis of humanistic philosophy. The humanistic and historical-cultural views of the Italian philosophers allowed to revive the interest in ancient philosophy, drawing the most significant ideas, in which the categories of «public ideal», «public good», and «civic identity «were revealed. In the course of the study, we consider the essence of the Epicurean school of philosophy and its evolution in the works of the brightest representatives of the Italian Epicurean philosophers of the Renaissance. When analyzing the concepts of the representatives of the Epicurean school of the Renaissance, attention is focused on the evolution of the teachings of Epicurus and its adaptation to the specifics of Italian society. Analyzing the historical, cultural and humanistic views of a group of Italian philosophers who developed the ideas of Epicurus and Philodemus, we analyze their reflection in the concept of «Studia humanitatis». Assessing the development of epicureanism in historical and historical-cultural aspects, it is possible to establish the relationship between the essence of the humanistic philosophy of the Renaissance and the nature of the socio-legal philosophy of the Enlightenment. The philosophy of G. Cavalcanti and F. Petrarch laid the foundation for a new perception of ancient culture. Since these philosophers first proposed to contrast the «Studia humanitatis» with medieval scholasticism, they can be called the first Italian Epicureans. The Biondos considered significant social problems, they brought many new ideas to the classical teaching of Epicurus. A. Beccadelli and L. Valla fully formed the idea of the revived teaching of Epicurus and adapted this teaching in accordance with the humanistic concept. K. Raimondi integrated humanism from the philosophical discourse into the political, legal and historical directions. Vanini completed the process of transforming ancient epicureanism into a humanistic concept of the Renaissance. 

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