History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps HoP 464 Howard Hotson on the Republic of Letters
Mar 2, 2025
In this engaging conversation, Howard Hotson, a Professor of Early Modern History at the University of Oxford, dives into the fascinating realm of the Republic of Letters. He discusses its vital role in shaping intellectual history, featuring luminaries like Leibniz and the lesser-known Samuel Hartlip. The dialogue highlights the significance of correspondence as a catalyst for ideas, the impact of digital tools on historic networks, and how this intellectual community evolved, especially in terms of inclusivity and linguistic shifts from the 17th to 18th centuries.
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Republic of Letters Definition
- The Republic of Letters, or res publica literaria, was a self-governing community of learning.
- It emphasized intellectual merit and transcended national boundaries, separate from church and state influence.
EMLO Project
- Early Modern Letters Online (EMLO) is a digital project cataloging early modern letters.
- It aims to reconstruct the scattered communication networks of the Republic of Letters.
Mapping the Republic
- Mapping correspondence reveals the true geographical scope of intellectual networks.
- While some, like Erasmus, had pan-European reach, others were more limited, highlighting the gap between the ideal and reality of the Republic of Letters.