Humanism

Man is the measure of things. But what is the measure of a man?

When you hear the word humanism, everyone imagines something and someone different. Some people think of thinkers like Erasmus of Rotterdam, Michel de Montaigne, Bertrand Russell and others, others think of writers and artists like Dante, Leonardo da Vinci or Voltaire, and still others think of personalities from politics or theology. For some, humanism is primarily the promotion of a scientific and rational view of the world, others see it mainly as an emphasis on a morally responsible life, and for many it represents the sum of the humanities.

Humanism is all of these at the same time, and if it has any bolts, then it is the search for that, how to act freely, to think, to create and explore while doing no harm: in other words, how to actually be human. Humanistic thinking has therefore taken on many philosophical or artistic forms throughout history, but at its core there has always been an emphasis on the human scale. Thanks to this, the humanist tradition has survived and continues to inspire even after centuries. The book Humanism tells a fascinating story spanning centuries, continents, and societies, and presents challenges to humanistic thinking today.

The New York Times Bestseller

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Sarah Bakewell' s new book is typically smart and accessible at the same time. Bakewell manages to weave seven centuries into a brisk narrative that remains sufficiently concrete while avoiding oversimplification, […] and brilliantly combines philosophical reflections with vivid stories. He revels in paradoxes and details, reminding us that man is not a one-dimensional being.
— The New York Times