On Human Worth and Excellence

by Giannozzo Manetti

Giannozzo Manetti (1396–1459) was a celebrated diplomat, historian, philosopher, and humanist scholar of the early Renaissance who mastered ancient Greek and Hebrew as well as classical Latin. In this treatise, dedicated to Alfonso of Aragon, King of Naples, Manetti addresses a question central to the anthropology of the what are the moral, intellectual, and spiritual capabilities of the unique amalgam of body and soul that constitutes human nature? The treatise takes issue with a popular work of medieval asceticism, On the Misery of the Human Condition, written by none other than Innocent III, one of the greatest of medieval popes. The pope’s diatribe expresses a revulsion against human nature and argues for the futility of ambition, the emptiness of pleasures, and the ultimate worthlessness of human achievements. Manetti’s treatise presents a comprehensive refutation of the pope’s pessimism, sometimes citing the achievements of the Renaissance as evidence for the potential divinity of human nature and its extraordinary capabilities. This edition contains the first complete translation into English.

Genres: Renaissance

416 pages, Hardcover

Published March 4, 2019

Reviews

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

The treaty "On the Dignity of Man" was written by Manetti as a counter-argument to Pope Innocent III's "On the Misery of Man". It is an important document for the early strands of an emerging Humanism - but it is still in many ways a religious work written with expressed humility. The contrast to the more famous Mirandola is significant. Manetti is erudite, mature, well educated and lays out a temperate and elaborate argument for the positive and at time glorious sides of the Human Condition. But whether this is an argument for later secularization is somewhat more unclear.

A well recommended read for insights into the early Humanistic writings, as well as food for thought regarding where the roots of the changes in the 15 hundreds and after, are to be found.

[Калоян Захариев]

Интересна творба, пропита с необичайна за времето си любов и преклонение пред човек. Манети разглежда човека като върховното творение на Бог, дарено с безсмъртна душа и свят, пълен с животни и растения, за да му служат.
Интересна творба, чиито дълбок смисъл би убягнала на съвременния човек, който е благословен да живее в едни далеч по-просветлени времена.