Ayn Rand wrote that "The Aristotelian revival in the thirteenth century brought men to the Renaissance." Dr. Mayhew's aim in these two lectures is to show just how true this statement is. These lectures will cover approximately 500 years, from the period (in the 12th century) preceding the reintroduction of Aristotle into Western culture, to the end of the Renaissance around 1600. Questions to be answered include: How were Aristotle's ideas able to take hold in a hostile culture? To what extent did they fail to take hold fully? What was Thomas Aquinas's contribution to their taking hold? Who were the major Renaissance Aristotelians? Who were their major intellectual competitors? What effect did Aristotle's ideas have on metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, political philosophy and esthetics during the Renaissance? Dr. Mayhew will conclude with a consideration of what lessons Aristotle's influence on the Renaissance has for modern Aristotelians fighting, in a hostile culture, for Objectivism.