人的尊严:皮科的九百个命题与综合梦想

神童与梦想家 Giovanni Pico della Mirandola(1463-1494) 活了仅31年—— 但leave lasting mark 他是: Prodigy(神童) 掌握多种语言(Latin、Greek、Hebrew、Arabic) Renaissance humanism的象征 综合一切知识的梦想家 Most famous for: 《Oration on the Dignity of Man》(论人的尊严)—— Called “manifesto of Renaissance” 但这只是他ambitious project的introduction—— To defend 900 theses(命题)on everything! 生平:短暂而璀璨 贵族出身 出生于意大利Mirandola(小公国) Count的儿子—— 财富、地位 这给他freedom学习without worrying about生计 学术漫游 14岁:Bologna大学(study canon law) 但quickly转向philosophy 然后游历study: Ferrara Padua(Aristotelian stronghold) Florence(Platonic Academy,遇到Marsilio Ficino) Paris(scholastic philosophy) Master多种传统: Aristotelianism(via Averroes) Platonism(via Ficino) Scholasticism Jewish Kabbalah Hermetic texts Persian、Chaldean wisdom(据称) 900 theses的disaster 1486(23岁): ...

March 24, 2012 at 12:00 AM

人的觉醒:文艺复兴人文主义的诞生

新时代的黎明 14世纪意大利—— Something new stirring—— 从中世纪的shadows—— Into light 不是sudden break—— 而是gradual awakening: To human potential—— To classical wisdom—— To this world(不只是next) 这是Renaissance humanism(文艺复兴人文主义) 不只是艺术运动—— 也是philosophical revolution 什么是Humanism? Modern word"humanism"会mislead—— 不是secular rejection of religion Renaissance humanists多数是devout Christians 那么什么是humanism? Studia Humanitatis “Humanistic studies”—— Curriculum focused on: Grammar Rhetoric Poetry History Moral philosophy 基于古典texts(Greek和Roman) Contrast with scholastic curriculum: Logic Natural philosophy Metaphysics Theology Humanists不reject这些—— 但emphasize different priorities: Eloquence over logic—— Wisdom for living over abstract speculation—— ...

March 22, 2012 at 12:00 AM

有学问的无知:库萨的尼古拉与新时代

桥梁人物 Nicholas of Cusa(库萨的尼古拉,1401-1464) 完美embodiment of transition: 从中世纪到Renaissance—— 从scholasticism到new思想 他是: Cardinal(枢机主教) Mathematician Philosopher Mystic Church reformer Diplomat 结合: Scholastic training Mystical insights(like Eckhart) Humanist learning(Greek、classical texts) Scientific curiosity Platonism revival 他stand在两个时代之间—— Foot in each—— Looking forward到modern world 生平 早年 生于Kues(德国Moselle river)—— 故名"of Cusa"(库萨的) Father=wealthy fisherman Study: Heidelberg(1416) Padua(law,1423获doctorate) Cologne(theology,接触Eckhart’s思想) 广泛教育—— Law、theology、mathematics、classics Church career 1432:Attend Council of Basel—— 作为legal expert Initially支持conciliarist position—— (Council>Pope) 但later switch支持papal authority—— 认识到conciliarism’s dangers 1437:Diplomatic mission to Constantinople—— ...

March 21, 2012 at 12:00 AM