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Post Medieval by Mike Prestwood.
Stories from 1500 to 1950.
The history of modern civilization.
New looks at the Renaissance, Enlightenment, and the rise of science.
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It’s time to explore key ideas and takeaways.
First, a reminder about the philosophy of journalism.
Opinion belongs in journalism, but only when it is clearly marked and grounded in shared facts.
With that, two “tales.”
Our first story.
From History: 1858
Subject: Max Planck.
Lived from 1858 to 1947, aged 89.
Planck discovered limits by following the math honestly—even when it contradicted intuition.
At its core.
Max Planck didn’t seek to overturn classical physics. He ran into its limits. By taking experimental results seriously and refusing to force certainty where it no longer fit, Planck revealed one of science’s deepest lessons: progress often begins when explanation must stop.
That H4-Post Medieval Story,
was first published on TST 2 weeks ago.
Now for our second story.
From History: born 1844
Subject: Existentialism.
- Nihilism.
- Critic of Traditional Morality.
1844-1900
Kierkegaard taught us to take guidance from our angst, which drives leaps of faith. Nietzsche wants you to first challenge inherited norms so you can create your own values through authentic self-becoming.
In short.
For Nietzsche, the collapse of inherited meaning is not a tragedy but an opening. With “God dead,” humanity is no longer bound to borrowed values, inherited morals, or cultural scripts. Meaning must now be created—through strength, intellectual honesty, and the difficult work of becoming. Nietzsche’s philosophy is not about despair, but about responsibility: if the old meanings have fallen, then living authentically means daring to create new ones.
That H4-Post Medieval Story,
was first published on TST 2 years ago.
Next up. Two “quotes.”
Tidbit number three, the first of two quotes.
From History:
Subject: Planck Constant.
- Max Planck.
- circa 1900.
Breakthroughs often occur when conviction gives way to honesty.
Now, to be clear.
Planck didn’t advance physics by defending what he believed, but by surrendering it when the evidence refused to cooperate. His “act of despair” reminds us that truth doesn’t yield to confidence. It yields to honesty—especially at the moment when our most trusted explanations stop working.
That H4-Post Medieval Quote,
was first published on TST 2 weeks ago.
Tidbit number four, another quote.
Subject: Evolution.
- Charles Darwin.
- 1859.
Survival belongs to organisms that respond effectively to change as environments shift over time.
Seen another way.
Evolution is not about desire, nor is it a contest of strength, or intellect. It’s about reproductive success. The individuals, and species, that possess traits best suited for the current environment are more likely to survive, and to pass on those traits. Over millennia, these traits accumulate, leading to races, sub-species, and eventually separate species unable to interbreed.
That H4-Post Medieval Quote,
was first published on TST 2 years ago.
Finally, 4 frequently asked “questions.”
Now it is time for tidbit number five. The first of four questions.
Subject: Reasoning.
Karma and cause and effect explore causation versus correlation.
Seen another way.
In the 1700s, David Hume challenged the assumption that cause and effect are logically guaranteed, exposing the limits of induction and separating correlation from causation. His skepticism sharpened scientific thinking. In 30 Philosophers, this is contrasted with karma (via the Gautama Buddha) and extended through cause-and-effect toward holistic eudaimonia beyond Aristotle.
That H4-Post Medieval FAQ,
was first published on TST 1 year ago.
Tidbit FAQ number six.
Subject: Origin Story: Voltaire.
Voltaire’s journey reminds us that intellectual freedom often comes at a cost but also shows how the power of ideas can challenge authority, inspire change, and reshape the world.
The central point is this.
The Enlightenment didn’t begin in lecture halls; it began in prison cells. Voltaire’s story reminds us that ideas often emerge under pressure, not comfort. Suppression doesn’t kill truth—it tests it. When expression is punished, courage becomes the engine of progress, and wit becomes a weapon against power.
That H4-Post Medieval FAQ,
was first published on TST 1 year ago.
“Done.”
Tidbits are the smallest working units of this project—focused facts, stories, or explanations tied directly to evidence and sources.
The goal is not to persuade quickly, but to build a stable framework where ideas can be tested honestly.
Refresh for another set.
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(c) 2025-2026 TouchstoneTruth.
Writing and coding by Michael Alan Prestwood.
(c) 2025-2026 TouchstoneTruth.
Writing and coding by Michael Alan Prestwood.
