An Introduction to Humanism

Pico della Mirandola, a celebrated Italian Renaissance philosopher, said "I have read in Arabia books that nothing in the world can be found that is more worthy of admiration than man" (Dresden). This is, in essence, the nature of humanist philosophy: the return to the study of of classical literature and philosophy pointed to the valuable study of the individual. Pico continued that "man is the focal point in the world, he is at the centre of all that is taking place," and therefore the most sensible lens through which to view society.

Corliss Lamont put forth "The Philosophy of Humanism" as follows:

Humanism believes in a naturalistic attitude toward the universe and considers all forms of the supernatural as myth.

Humanism believes humans are an evolutionary product of nature; that the mind is a function of the brain and there is no conscious survival after death.

Humanism believes humans possess the potential power to solve problems through reasoning.

Humanism believes humans possess genuine freedom of choice and action and therefore are masters of their own destiny.

Humanism believes in a morality that holds as its highest goals: happiness, freedom and progress for everyone irrespective of nation, race or religion.

Humanism believes the individual attains the "good life" by continuous self-development, significant work, and activities that contribute to the welfare of the community.

Humanism believes in the development of art, the awareness of beauty, and the appreciation of loveliness so that the aesthetic experience may become reality.

Humanism believes in democracy, peace, and a high standard of living based upon a foundation of a flourishing economic order.

Humanism believes in reason and the scientific method, democratic procedures, parliamentary government, freedom of expression and civil liberties.

Humanism believes in unending questioning of basic assumptions and convictions, including its own. Humanism is a developing philosophy open to experimental testing, newly discovered facts, and rigorous reasoning based upon the belief that humans can build an enduring citadel of peace and beauty upon this earth.

In the case of the European Renaissance, a renaissance may not have occurred at all if it was not the case that its participants “g[a]ve place to human existence and its value, without in any way detracting from [the] deep and sincere religious belief” (Dresden 83), which was a highly determinate factor for European society at with its own characteristics and reservations. The value of the humanists in the European Renaissance, Shakespeare included, was that they synthesized components of social atmosphere--especially religion--in order to make their teachings and ideals applicable.

In comparison with other belief systems of the day, the "humanist mentality stood at a point midway between medieval supernaturalism and the modern scientific and critical attitude," both of which were cultural extremes, and was " in favor of the general emancipation of the individual" (Kreis). Italian philosophers and writers, who championed humanism in the Renaissance and informed the entirety of the European Renaissance, included Dante, Petrarch, and Machiavelli.

This emphasis on the individual is why humanism is "a rational philosophy based on belief in the dignity of human beings, informed by science and motivated by human hope and human compassion," that "revere[s] the natural world" (Dorrell). Naturalness is, therefore, a key goal for humanists. In the European Renaissance, “people were becoming more and more convinced that they were living in a new ear which was clearly distinguished from the one that preceded it,” which essential dividing factor was “to rediscover naturalness where it had always been” (Dresden 219). This is clearly evident in Shakespeare’s use of the Greek play-purpose tradition, in which plays were used to teach citizens moral lessons, since “the naturalness sought by the humanists and artists was chiefly discovered among the ancients” (Dresden 219). While the close study of classical discourse and literature is no longer in place, bloggers, as modern humanists, seek after that same “naturalness,” reveling in the small and mundane, writing them, ironically, as quirky and characterizing.

For humanists, seeking this naturalness helps to ascribe values to life, sociality, and individuals. As the book Renaissance Men and Ideas proposes, it is “this search for values [that] is an essential aspect of the historical life of any culture”; indeed, “it is the means by which each age arrives at its own explanation and understanding of itself and of its place in human history” (xi). This search epitomizes the “Renaissance” and “humanist” endeavors, as culture values them, and is evident in both Shakespeare’s work and blogging.