Humanities & Classics 1002
|
|
Renaissance Forum
Humanities & Classics 1002 |
    |
|
In Reply to: PLEASE POST YOUR SECOND REQUIRED POSTING AS FOLLOWUPS TO THIS POST posted by Tom Bacig on January 13, 1999 at 21:59:54:
The effort to create a pure Renaissance man took many different scientific, spirtual, and educational knowledge. The leaders of thie humanistic movement are responiable for this creation.
Leon Battista Alberti shadowed Pico in his humanistic views of man being "free and perfectible." Alberti was a man of many talents such as engineering, mathematics, architectual design, and music. He belived in family and the importance of education. One of the many important points in his book, On The Family is the importance of good teachers, occupation, and obeying God. He also is very strict about man and idleness. "There is nothing that gives rise to dishonor and infamy as much as idleness. He shows many examples of the shame and dishonor laziness brings. He also is a firm believer in succedding. "Man can do anything he wants. If you will strive with all your strength and skill. I have no doubt you will reach the highest degree of perfection and fame in any profession." He was a man of many ideas including the the most important, virtu. He describes it as the "self-confident virtality of the self-made Renaissance individual."
Italian Baldassre Castiglione qualifications of the Renaissance man differs in some ways from Alberti ideas. He believed that the ideal man should be well rounded. He should posses physical and mental strength. He should be able to speak lanaguages, draw, write poetry, and play musical instruments. Not only did he think that man was to be cultured but also woman. Examples of his views are found in The Book of the Couitier, "For I beleive that many faculties of the mind are as necessary to woman as to man; likewise gentle birth, to be mannerly, clever, prudent...." Although Castiglione's thoughs about women altered the past thoughts, still womens lives remained limited.
Florentine diplomat Niccolo Machiavelli used his historical and political ideas to write The Prince. He understood the importance of a single strong leader. This leader needs to be a mixture of "greedy, tender-hearted, faithless, effmiate and cowardly, courteous, and lewd." He needs to be feared by his followers, be able to stand alone, honor his word, and avoid being contempted and hated. This book is based on the negative views of humankind. Machiavelli saw how important learning from the past was. He thought that the only way to rule is to treat the people the way they treat themsleves. He used many examples from the past political powers to back up his principles. He based these principles on human nature and historical Roman politics.
Although they had their differences, all three men believed in the power of the individual which is the pushing to be a unique human. The genuie Renaissance man is the sum of the educational Alberti, cultural Castiglione, and powerful Machiavelli views of the body, mind, and soul.