AP/HUMA 1170 Diagnostic Essay

Student Name Professor Name Course Date Diagnostic Essay The Renaissance is a particular period of European history that covers the span between the 14th century and 17th century and marks the transition from the middle ages to modernity. It was the time when new things were discovered and invented in a large number. A lot of transformations were made in the fields of science and technology, and the aim of experts was to facilitate human beings in all walks of life. For example, during the Renaissance period, things like the submarine, mechanical clock, eyeglasses, printing press, gunpowder and weapons, and marine’s compass were invented to ease the lives of people in one way or the other. The focus of this paper is on the invention and history of a mechanical watch and on how it made human beings understand the worth of time and brought them closer to God. In the course reading titled The Institutes of the Christian Religion, John Calvin clearly mentions that “the true wisdom of man consists in the knowledge of God the Creator and Redeemer” (p. 1194). It makes us understand that the only way to acquire knowledge and gain wisdom is to explore things around us. Let’s assume that a person spends a large part of his day sleeping or in useless and meaningless stuff; it may not be possible for him to gain any knowledge and to achieve success as he is wasting much of his time. Right after the creation of the mechanical watch in the Renaissance era, it became known to everyone that they should value time and would have to spend their hours doing good and constructive things. In those days, various devices were being used to mark the passage of time, but they did not provide as good results as were provided by the mechanical watch. For example, duration times like candle clocks, the hourglass, and incense clocks were extensively used prior to the invention of the mechanical watch. Both the incense clock and the candle clock worked on the same principle and allowed repeatable estimated of the passage of time. However, it was too confusing for people to manage their time, and thus, the mechanical watch was brought to light by Europeans to measure, indicate and keep time. Even today, such watches are present in a large number at top outlets, and the most interesting thing is that they are loved and bought for their beauty, weight, style, and accuracy of time. It’s safe to say that once we begin valuing time, we keep ourselves from unnecessary things and do what is right and beneficial for us, and when all of the members of a community become habitual of valuing their time, they eventually strengthen their beliefs in God and get to know the real pur...