Georgius Agricola as Humanist

Abstract

Humanism and science, like science and religion, form one of those subjects that invite periodic reassessments. In part this stems from instinct that we are here dealing with another pair of antitheticals. It has seemed that way in Western culture from about beginning of nineteenth century, when proponents of Humanismus consciously set reality and ideal of a classical education (i.e., one built around study of literary classics of ancient Greece and Rome) against intellectual and cultural claims of science and technology. What science and technology trumpeted was their intellectual superiority and mastery over nature. Humanismus, on other hand, proclaimed a kind of moral superiority in its educational program claiming that here lay better half of humankind's experience and response to life.1 Even in that disarticulated version of Humanismus that today we call the humanities, educated society seems to seek some remedy-or is it merely solace-for alienating effects of dehumanized categories of modern science and technology. Take more courses is a familiar nostrum. I raise these points not because I wish to identify Humanismus and the humanities with early modern phenomenon of humanism that is subject of this group of papers, although they are clearly historically connected.2 I do so in order to provide a reminder that antithesis between science and humanism is of fairly recent origin and came into being only in response to maturation and professionalization of science in academy at beginning of nineteenth century. It was no part of humanism in sixteenth century when recovery of ancient learn-