Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

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Erudition
(2,045 words)

1. Concept

The Latin eruditio and its derivations - besides English “erudition” also French érudition, Italian erudizione, and Spanish erudición describe a process whereby ignorance and inexperience (Latin ruditas) are eliminated by instruction and tuition. These terms, and the German equivalent Gelehrsamkeit (related to lehren, “to teach” and Lehre, “instruction, teaching”), which emerged in the 17th century and became exceedingly widesprea…

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Döring, Detlef, “Erudition”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_019788>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20180126



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