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Humanism was an intellectual movement that looked to revive the classical learning and values of ancient Greece and Rome. It emphasized studying history, poetry, rhetoric and moral philosophy from classical texts to understand human nature and ennoble mankind. Followers believed that through education focused on liberal arts, humans could achieve virtue and wisdom. The Florentine Academy furthered these ideals by establishing Greek language studies and reviving Platonic philosophy. Civic humanists applied these principles in service to their states through official roles modeling the Roman statesman Cicero.

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Rishabh Kotturgowdra
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165 views

Humanism PDF

Humanism was an intellectual movement that looked to revive the classical learning and values of ancient Greece and Rome. It emphasized studying history, poetry, rhetoric and moral philosophy from classical texts to understand human nature and ennoble mankind. Followers believed that through education focused on liberal arts, humans could achieve virtue and wisdom. The Florentine Academy furthered these ideals by establishing Greek language studies and reviving Platonic philosophy. Civic humanists applied these principles in service to their states through official roles modeling the Roman statesman Cicero.

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Rishabh Kotturgowdra
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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Humanism – The Intellectual Renaissance

Intellectuals like Francesco Petrarch and Jacob Burckhardt believed they lived in a new golden age of
intellectual achievement => comparable to, and influenced by the ancient thinkers of Greece and Rome.

Humanism => termed humanitas by Florentine Leonardo Bruni/Cicero => literary culture which revived
ancient norms, knowledge and values
-prepared people for a life of virtue and civic action => path to being civilized
-Christian perspective => man created in God’s image!
-Pico della Mirandola => Oration on the Dignity of Man => stressed our unique nature and
unlimited potential
-sought harmony between the pagan, the secular and Christian

Liberal arts stressed human dignity and potential, a well-rounded education, wisdom eloquently spoken,
knowledge of the good and the ability to move others to desire it.
-grammar, rhetoric, poetry, history, moral philosophy, mathematics
-study the classics to understand human nature => ennoble man
-Pietro Paolo Vergerio => On the Morals that Benefit a Free Man (tract on education)
-“We call those studies liberal which are worthy of a free man; those studies by which we attain
and practice virtue and wisdom”
-Vittorino da Feltre => established famous humanist school in Mantua focusing on classical authors

The Florentine Academy and Neo-Platonism focused on revival of Greek studies.


-Manuel Chrysoloras established Greek language studies in Florence in 1397, followed by his student
Leonardo Bruni
-Academy established by Cosimo de’Medici, Marsilio Ficino and Pico della Mirandola in 1450’s
-Ficino served as translator of Platonic works
-synthesis of Platonism and Christianity => science of the divine => knowledge of all
nature
-humans occupy middle ground between matter and spiritual and aspire to ascend to
higher position (evolution)

Civic Humanists believed education and knowledge should serve the state and their fellow man.
-many humanists served in official positions => Roman statesman Cicero served as model
-fusion of political action and literary creation
-live an active life for one’s state
-Machiavelli (historian/political advisor), Leonardo Bruni (historian/chancellor), Leon Battista
Alberti (architect, scholar)
-Lorenzo Valla (papal secretary, linguist) => sought to purify/restore Latin
-Elegances of the Latin Language
-used skills to point out errors in Latin Vulgate (official bible)
-proved in Donation of Constantine that vast territories thought to have been given to
the pope by 4th century Roman Emperor Constantine was a fraud

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