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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.
MODE:
~
8 minute
audio walk.
H4-Post Medieval:
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.
Story mode.
Eight key ideas and takeaways.
1. Our first story.
From History: 1842.
Subject: Waves.
In 1842, Christian Doppler wrote about the doppler effect in stars. It was first confirmed with sound in 1845, then with light in 1848. The big moment came in 1868 when, for the first time, we could tell which stars were coming and going.
Looked at differently.
When a source moves toward you, waves compress and frequency increases; when it moves away, waves stretch and frequency decreases. This applies to sound (changing pitch), and light (changing color, or redshift).
That H4-Post Medieval Story,
was first published on TST 2 years ago.
2. Now for our second story.
From History: 1848.
Subject: Light Waves.
In 1842, the Doppler effect was proposed by Christian Doppler. First confirmed for sound in 1845, then for light in 1848.
What matters here is this.
In 1848, the Doppler effect was extended from sound to light when astronomers noticed that starlight shifts in frequency, revealing stellar motion through subtle changes in color. This is the first time we knew which stars were coming and going.
That H4-Post Medieval Story,
was first published on TST 2 years ago.
3. Tidbit number three, a quote.
Subject: Evolution.
- Charles Darwin.
- 1859.
Survival belongs to organisms that respond effectively to change as environments shift over time.
Simply put.
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.
4. Tidbit number four, another quote.
From History: .
Subject: Planck Constant.
- Max Planck.
- circa 1900.
Breakthroughs often occur when conviction gives way to honesty.
Now to clarify.
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 months ago.
Finally, 4 frequently asked “questions.”
5. Now it is time a question.
Subject: Friedreich Nietzsche.
Friedrich Nietzsche marks the moment in history, about 1890, when inherited moral certainty collapsed.
The central point is this.
Nietzsche was not preaching despair; he was diagnosing it. His declaration that “God is dead” described a cultural shift, not a celebration. Born in 1844, trained in philology, and appointed professor at 24, Nietzsche watched traditional moral frameworks erode without replacement. His work urges us to face that void honestly.
That H4-Post Medieval FAQ,
was first published on TST 1 year ago.
6. Tidbit FAQ number six.
Subject: The History of Existentialism in 4 Minutes!.
Existentialism was born in post medieval Europe, but it’s focus on the self and your own thoughts echos Daoism and Buddhism in the East and Stoicism and Epicureanism in the West.
Now to clarify.
Modern existentialism has roots going back to the late 1700s and modern psychology has roots back to the late 1800s. Both have deeper roots going back to prehistory. Kierkegaard’s focus on anxiety is part of the story of psychology. Existentialism explores the meaning from a nihilistic view. While it can be fatalistic, modern externalism focuses on living fully and authentically.
That H4-Post Medieval FAQ,
was first published on TST 1 year ago.
7. Here is another tidbit FAQ.
Subject: Roger Williams.
Roger Williams remained part of the colonial conversation long after banishment, proving that difficult ideas do not disappear just because authorities reject them.
Stepping back for a moment.
Roger Williams was not a brief disturbance in New England history. His ideas endured, his relationships continued, and even those who opposed him had to keep reckoning with him. Some people lose the battle in their own time and still help shape the future.
That H4-Post Medieval Article,
was first published on TST 7 years ago.
8. Moving onto our last tidbit FAQ.
Subject: Separatist Term & Epistemology.
Explore the use of this term over the centuries.
In short.
If you use the modern definition of separatist that includes intolerance of others, then Roger Williams was not a separatist. Furthermore, he supported all people living, and working together in the same community for the common good. Sometimes people forget the context of the time and conflate his desire to separate from the Church of England run by the government with the separatist movement based on races. I think some with a desire to promote white supremacy do this on purpose.
That H4-Post Medieval Article,
was first published on TST 2 years ago.
“Done.”
Timelines, quotes, and FAQs function as research anchors—designed to be reused, cross-linked, and updated as better evidence emerges.
By keeping editions identifiable and research reusable, the project remains coherent even as its thinking evolves.
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.
