Humanism

Introduction
Origin and meaning of the term humanism
- The ideal of humanitas
- Other uses
Basic principles and attitudes
- Classicism
- Realism
- Critical scrutiny and concern with detail
- The emergence of the individual and the idea of human dignity
- Active virtue
Early history
The 14th century
- Petrarch
- Giovanni Boccaccio
- Coluccio Salutati
The 15th century
- Leon Battista Alberti
- The Medici and Federico da Montefeltro
Later Italian humanism
- Things and words
- Idealism and the Platonic Academy of Florence
- Machiavelli’s realism
- The achievement of Castiglione
- Tasso’s Aristotelianism
Northern humanism
- Desiderius Erasmus
- The French humanists
  - François Rabelais
  - Michel de Montaigne
- The English humanists
  - More, Elyot, and Ascham
  - Sidney and Spenser
  - Chapman, Jonson, and Shakespeare
Humanism and the visual arts
- Realism
- Classicism
- Anthropocentricity and individualism
- Art as philosophy
Humanism, art, and science
Humanism and Christianity
Later fortunes of humanism
Conclusion

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images

Marble bust of Marcus Tullius Cicero, shown with short hair and draped clothing, displayed against a black background.

Marble bust of Aristotle with a beard and draped robe, showing detailed facial features and wavy hair, set against a dark background.

Engraving of Petrarch wearing a laurel wreath and a robe, holding a closed book in his left hand.

Painted terracotta bust of Lorenzo de' Medici, attributed to 15th or 16th-century Florentine artists, showing a stern man in a red cap and draped garment.

At a Glance

humanism summary

Related Questions

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External Websites

Smarthistory - Humanism in renaissance Italy
American Academy of Arts and Sciences - On humanism past and present
ABC listen - The Philosopher's Zone - The problem with humanism
University of Humanistic Studies - Humanism
Simply Psychology - Humanistic Approach in Psychology (humanism): Definition & Examples
Humanists UK - Humanism
Humanities LibreTexts - Humanism
Harvard University - The Pluralism Project - Humanism
World History Encyclopedia - Renaissance Humanism
Florida SouthWestern State College Digital Textbook Catalog - The Renaissance through the Age of Reason - HUMANISM: The Rise of Secular Thought
International Humanist and Ethical Union - What is Humanism?

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humanism - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

Humanism

philosophy

Written by

Robert Grudin

Professor of English, University of Oregon, Eugene. Author of The Grace of Great Things and others.

Robert Grudin

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Nov. 1, 2026 •History

Humanism, system of education and mode of inquiry that originated in northern Italy during the 13th and 14th centuries and later spread through continental Europe and England. The term is alternatively applied to a variety of Western beliefs, methods, and philosophies that place central emphasis on the human realm. Also known as Renaissance humanism, the historical program was so broadly and profoundly influential that it is one of the chief reasons why the Renaissance is...

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