- What is humanism?
- How did humanism arise?
- Characteristics of humanism
- Humanism and Renaissance
- What were the humanists like?
- Types of humanism
- Importance and impact of humanism
We explain what humanism is, its types and how this philosophical trend emerged. Also, how were the humanists.
What is humanism?
Humanism was a European philosophical, intellectual and cultural movement that emerged in the fourteenth century that was based on the integration of certainvalues considered universal and inalienable of thehuman being. This current of thought arose in opposition to theological thought, in which God was the guarantor and the center of thelife.
Humanistic thought is a doctrine anthropocentric that tries to guarantee that the human race is the measure from which the cultural parameters are established. This group privileged Sciences and was interested in all those disciplines whose purpose was to develop the values of the human being.
Relying on great thinkers of the antiquity (like Aristotle and Plato), held that the knowledge gave power to persons, providing them happiness Y Liberty. For this reason they sought to bring the classic works to expand theknowledge and create a society more cultured.
Currently, this current opposes consumerist tendencies, narcissism, bodily exaltation and everything that implies the exploitation of the individual.
See also:Illustration
How did humanism arise?
Humanism originated in the 15th century in Italy with the influence of 14th century authors such as Francesco Petrarca and Giovanni Boccaccio who defended Greco-Roman ideas and culture.
Certain historical events contributed to the proliferation of this thought, one of them was the appearance of the printing In 1450 invented by Johannes Gutenberg. This revolutionary invention allowed the issuance of books, pamphlets and banners intended to propagate critical messages. Thanks to the printing press, humanistic thoughts were disseminated against the thoughts of the medieval.
Another important factor was the creation of large universities (such as Alcalá, Henares and Louvaina), from where it contributed to the proliferation of humanist ideas and thecritical thinking.
On October 29, 1945, the philosopher Jean Paul Sartre gave a lecture on postwar climate, and what he said had a profound impact on all philosophical thought from that moment on. This conference was called “The existentialism It is a humanism ”and marked a milestone by presenting a new conception about man and humanism.
In a Paris in ruins after theWWII, this conference set the tone for the search for a new human horizon, a new moral horizon that incorporates the responsibility of man and his existence, outside of what is progress and its devastating war consequences.
Characteristics of humanism
- He developed an anthropocentric notion of the world and put aside the theocentric idea that had governed the last centuries of history.
- He raised the idea of a model of knowledge much purer than that existing in the Middle Ages.
- He defended the idea of using human reason as an engine for the search for answers, leaving aside the beliefs Y dogmas of faith.
- Reformulated the model of education existing until then, giving importance to the study of Latin and Greek classics and opening new schools that promoted the study of others Languages and classical letters.
- He developed sciences such asgrammar, therhetoric, theliterature, thephilosophy moral andhistory, closely linked to the human spirit.
- He sought to eliminate any closed system that did not allow the multiplicity of perspectives of the thought. It was thought that with this change the total development of man would be achieved: physical and spiritual, aesthetic and religious.
Humanism and Renaissance
The Renaissance It was a historical period that lasted from the fourteenth century to the sixteenth century, which sought to leave the Middle Ages behind and gave way to the Modern age.
This period was characterized by great artistic, scientific development and social, political and economic changes that sought to bury the vestiges of the Middle Ages (which they considered as a dark stage) and lead to the development of the bourgeoisie.
Humanism was an intellectual current that developed during this historical period and promoted an anthropocentric vision of the world, leaving aside the theocentric tradition and highlighting the capacities of man and human reason. In addition, he sought to rescue the traditions and works of the greco culture Roman.
What were the humanists like?
Humanists valued the human being for what he is: a natural and historical being. Unlike the men of the previous age, the humanists stopped seeing man from the theological perspective.
They were men of religion, mostly Christians, but they sought the answers to their questions about the world and things in ancient thinkers. They did not invalidate thereligion, but they considered that it had a civil function and that it was a tool to maintain thepeace of a society.
Among the most prominent scholars of this time are:
- Leonardo Bruni (1370-1444). Italian historian and politician with outstanding work in the rescue of the classics of Greco-Roman literature.
- Giovanni Pico della Mirandola (1463 - 1494). Italian philosopher and thinker, his most representative work "The 900 theses" is a compendium of the most resonant philosophical ideas that existed up to that time.
- Erasmus of Rotterdam (1466 - 1536). Dutch philosopher and theologian, he was a critic of the institutions, the power of the time and the abuses of the members of the Catholic Church to which he belonged. He defended freedom of thought and Greco-Roman traditions in his “adagios” (sayings), in addition, he sought that all people could have access to the gospel and with it, the teachings of Jesus Christ. His work: "In Praise of Madness" had a great impact.
- Thomas More (1478-1535). English theologian and politician, he devoted much of his life to the practice of law and the study of the theology and Greco-Roman culture. "Utopia" was one of his famous works written entirely in Latin. He was beheaded in 1535 for refusing to sign the act establishing King Henry VIII as the leader of the Anglican church.
- Juan Luis Vives (1492 - 1540). Spanish philosopher, he was a forerunner of the idea of applying reforms in the academic sphere and the need for social assistance to those most in need. He sought to adapt the classics to make them accessible to students.
Types of humanism
- Christian humanism. Religious movement that seeks that man can be realized from a Christian framework.
- Evolutionary humanism. Current of thought that oscillates between philosophy,epistemology and theanthropology and puts the human being at the center.
- Secular humanism. Movement that is based on certain philosophical currents and on thescientific method to rule out those supernatural explanations, such as the creationism, which exist on the origin of the universe and of thehumanity.
Importance and impact of humanism
Humanism is considered one of the preponderant ideologies during the Renaissance, in the first place, because its anthropocentric ideas supposed a change of paradigm. This current focused on the development of the qualities of the human being and erected rationality as the way of understanding the world.
The importance of humanism lies in the rescue and dissemination that it carried out of the Greco-Roman traditions. During this period translations of great classical works were made which allowed access to them to a greater portion of the population.
In addition, he promoted educational reforms to make knowledge more accessible and gave value to humanistic studies, contributing to the development of sciences such as rhetoric, literature and grammar. Humanism stands out for having spread values such as that of the tolerance, independence and free will.