Best Humanism

Henri Cartier-Bresson was a pivotal figure in 20th-century photography. His work exemplifies modernist street photography focusing on capturing candid human experiences with precise composition and timing – often referred to as the ‘decisive moment’. He co-established Magnum Photos, a collective of...

William Shakespeare was an English playwright and poet whose works remain central to Western literature. His plays, including tragedies like *Hamlet* and comedies like *A Midsummer Night's Dream*, are notable for their complex characters, intricate plots, and enduring themes of love, ambition, and m...

The Tree of Wooden Clogs is an Italian film from 1978 directed by Ermanno Olmi. The narrative portrays the daily routines of Lombard peasants residing in a farmhouse during the late 1800s, reflecting influences of the neorealist movement. It utilized non-professional actors to authentically represen...

“Eternity and a Day” is a 1998 German drama film directed by Theo Angelopoulos. The story centers on a homeless man in Athens who encounters various individuals over the course of one day, prompting reflections on life, death, and human connection. Bruno Ganz’s performance is notable for its quiet i...

Desiderius Erasmus was a Dutch Renaissance humanist, Catholic priest, theologian, and classical scholar who lived around 1466 to 1536. He produced an influential printed Greek New Testament with a revised Latin text and wrote works including In Praise of Folly and the Handbook of the Christian Soldi...

Marsilio Ficino was a Florentine philosopher, translator, physician, and Catholic priest who lived from 1433 to 1499 and became a central figure in Renaissance Platonism. Under Medici patronage, he translated all of Plato's dialogues into Latin and also translated major Neoplatonic writings, making...

Ludwig Andreas von Feuerbach was a German philosopher and anthropologist recognized for his influential critique of religion. His most significant work, "The Essence of Christianity" published in 1841, argued that religious beliefs are unconscious projections of human nature and desires. As a promin...

Johann Gottfried Herder was an 18th-century German philosopher, theologian, literary critic, and theorist of language and history. He argued that human thought and expression develop within historically particular languages and cultures, and he treated folk poetry and oral tradition as serious evide...

Pico della Mirandola was a 15th-century Italian Renaissance philosopher best known for his Oration on the Dignity of Man, a landmark humanist text asserting humanity's capacity for self-determination.

Anthony Doerr weaves a complex tapestry of lives during the German occupation of France. The story follows a blind French girl and a young German soldier whose paths eventually cross. It is renowned for its stunningly beautiful descriptions, intricate structure, and ability to capture the small, hum...