The notion of human dignity takes center stage as humanism comes to the fore with Petrarch and Pico. To help us explore the topic, Rabbi Rocklin will address the following questions:
- Why did Petrarch, who is often considered the father of humanism, heavily criticize Medieval philosophers?
- According to Pico, what makes man unique and uniquely dignified? How does that shift the general understanding of man’s relationship with God?
- Both Pico and the Greeks seem to have asserted that man can change through culture. How is Pico’s assertion notably different?
Recommended Reading: Pico della Mirandola, Giovanni. Oration on the Dignity of Man. 1486.
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind