Original scientific paper

The Problem of »Humanism« of Humanism

Erna Banić-Pajnić ; Institut za filozofiju, Zagreb, Hrvatska

Abstract

The article discusses the problem of »humanism« of humanism. That humanism is spoken of once again at all is justified by asserting the multifariousness of the term »humanism«. The article begins with a modern definition (and interpretation) of humanism; the definition is then brought into relation with the meaning of historic humanism. That is, if it is accepted that every humanism is always metaphysically based, and that it is possible to speak of different »humanisms«, the question of the meaning of humanism as a spiritual-historical period, or in other words the question of »humanism« of humanism, should be asked. What kind of interpretation of reality determines historic humanism (14th, 15th and a part of the 16th centuries), and whether it is in any respect reasonable to bring humanism as the determining movement of the period into relation with a certain (metaphysical) interpretation of reality, remains to be seen. Ernesto Grassi's interpretation, according to which the determinants of historic humanism represent a crossing of the metaphysical horizon, is accepted. While the defenders of Grassi's interpretation have so far comprehensively elaborated the problem of humanist ic surpassing of metaphysical tradition in the spheres of grammar, rhetorics, poetics, the scope of moral philosophy was never concerned the same way. The authoress therefore examines the validity of the two aforementioned interpretations of humanism using the work of Marko Marulić as an example. Marulić is generally described as a humanist, and his works - important for moral philosophy - are emphatically metaphysically and theologically based. Characterizing Marulić as a humanist is justified by his basic interest in the renewal of »humanity« of man. It is precisely in this notion that we find the junction of humanism and Renaissance, according to which we use the notion of »Renaissance Humanism«. At the same time, it is here that we find the fulcrum of the thesis according to which Renaissance Humanism and all the explicitly and especially humanistic fields in its framework, such as grammar, rhetorics, moral philosophy, are to be understood as the beginning of modern humanism and the understanding of humanism, if it is here that the humanity of man is considered (in truth through the revival of Classical »humanism«), making allowance for the fact that the »humanism« of humanism is by all means specific if preceded by the Christian experience of world and man.

Keywords

Hrčak ID:

81874

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/81874

Publication date:

7.12.1992.

Article data in other languages: croatian

Visits: 2.853 *