What philosophical view, prominent during the Italian Renaissance, emphasizes human reason to determine ethics?

The correct answer is humanism, which was a significant philosophical movement during the Italian Renaissance. Humanism emphasizes the value of human beings, individual agency, and the importance of human reason in understanding the world and determining ethics. Humanists believed in the potential for human achievement and the power of reason to shape moral principles and societal values, often drawing inspiration from classical texts of Ancient Greece and Rome.

This philosophy marked a shift away from the exclusively theological frameworks that were dominant during the Middle Ages, positioning human experience and empirical evidence at the core of moral reasoning. Humanists advocated for a focus on education, the study of humanities, and the importance of civic responsibility, all of which are reflective of the belief that human reason can guide ethical behavior.

In contrast, rationalism, while emphasizing reason, does not specifically relate to the context of the Renaissance or focus primarily on ethics as humanism does. Similarly, utilitarianism focuses on the consequences of actions to determine ethics, and existentialism is concerned with individual freedom and meaning but does not align with the ideals of the Renaissance humanists. Therefore, humanism is distinctly aligned with the focus on human reason in determining ethical standards during that era.