"All of us owe a great deal of thanks to the Parisian Catholics of the 13th century who re-introduced Aristotelian reason back into the world. They planted the seeds of the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, and the Industrial Revolution. And thus as a consequence gave us everything good we have today -- all the scientific advances, our prosperity, and our right to our lives as individuals. This fire is an immense historical tragedy."

It's been astonishing to discover how many people feel they a personal connection with Notre Dame de Paris. For lots of reasons, the place seems part of all of us. Today's Quote pays homage to the cathedral as a symbol, as one of the reasons the place and that time of its birth are so important to the western world:

"All of us owe a great deal of thanks to the Parisian Catholics of the 13th century (Albert Magnus, St. Thomas Aquinas, Siger of Brabant, and likely unknown others) who re-introduced Aristotelian reason back into the world. They planted the seeds of the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, and the Industrial Revolution. And thus as a consequence gave us everything good we have today -- all the scientific advances, our prosperity, and our right to our lives as individuals. This fire is an immense historical tragedy."           ~ Andy Clarkson

RELATED LINKS:

• The medieval design innovation that helped save Notre Dame from perishing completely - ABC
• The greatest story hardly ever told - NOT PC
• How One Man’s Legacy Could Help Rebuild Notre-Dame Cathedral - ARCHITIZER
• 'Architecture is the scientific art of making structure express ideas' - NOT PC, 2006

[Hat tip Charlotte Cushman. Painting by Bryan Mark Taylor. Pics Cathie George, Stan Ecklund, Steven DaLuz, Nelson Brackin]

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