What is humanism in the understanding of the wise men of antiquity and the Renaissance philosophers

Humanism - a special type of philosophical worldview, which is based on the idea of the highest value of man; For a humanist philosopher, the human person is the center of the world, the measure of all things, the crown of God's creation.

Humanism in philosophy begins to form in the era of antiquity, its first definitions we find in the works of Aristotle and Democritus.

Humanism in the ancient tradition

What is humanism in the understanding of ancient sages? In comprehending the philosophers of antiquity - this is the highest degree of development and flourishing of the best opportunities and abilities of man. The individual should strive for self-realization, self-education; The personality must be harmonious, ethical and aesthetically perfect.

In the Middle Ages, the ideas of humanism receded into the background, were overshadowed by gloomy theories of religious asceticism, the killing of natural aspirations and needs natural to any person. The main virtues were the following: self-restraint, humility, conviction of the original sinfulness of the human being. The ideas and philosophical theories of the ancient era were for a long time forgotten, the philosophers of ancient Greece and Rome were declared erring pagans.

Renaissance humanism

Interest in the heritage of antiquity has increased significantly only in the Renaissance. The influence of the church on the life of society has diminished noticeably, science and art have ceased to be purely theological, there have appeared more free, non-theological philosophical theories and teachings. The preservation, systematization and study of the works of philosophers and scholars of antiquity became the main task of the modern humanists. Compulsory for them was the study of the languages of antiquity - Latin and Greek.

In the awareness of Renaissance philosophers about what humanism is, a share of originality and originality has appeared. Humanism of the Renaissance is original and unique. It was at that time that the importance of humanitarian knowledge became recognized by all; Universal values (attention and respect for the feelings and needs of the person, compassion, empathy) were no less significant than, for example, religiousness, observance of church requirements and rites.

The origins of Renaissance humanism are laid in the scientific works and works of art of the great Italians - Dante Alighieri and Francesco Petrarca. Thanks to the general atmosphere of freedom, the worship of beauty, the attraction to new forms in art, it was possible the existence of a great phenomenon - a brief period of the High Renaissance (1500-1530). It was at this time that the greatest works of art were created by the geniuses of the Renaissance (Raphael Santi, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo).

Over time, Renaissance humanism spread to the northern regions of Europe. It should be noted that the Northern Renaissance, unlike the Italian one, was closer to the religious tradition. The main idea of Christian humanists is the improvement of man as the basic condition of salvation. Let us analyze what humanism is in the understanding of a religious philosopher. Only by following God's commandments, observing all the requirements of religion and sacred books, a person can purify himself, approach the ideals of goodness, beauty, harmony. Most clearly the ideas of theistic humanism manifested themselves in the works of Erasmus of Rotterdam, Willibald Pirkheimer.

And the modern scientists-philosophers give their answer to the question of what humanism is like . The traditions of Renaissance humanism still do not surrender their positions in the newest philosophy of Western Europe. Belief in man's strength, awe-inspiring admiration of omnipotence, omnipotence of the person, optimistic conviction in the possibility of improving society - all this makes humanism the most progressive and productive current of modern philosophy.