MR’s De-Educational Quiz- Who Is It?……
Cited in modern times as one of the“Renaissance Men”, this man, although a genius, did not deserve the title…… He cared nothing about Latin and Greek….. He never wrote poems or orations. He had little to say about philosophy and theology….. He took no interest in history, nor was he an architect or a sculptor….. Worst of all, he had no use for music, which (he said) had two great faults:
one mortal, in that music ceased to exist as soon as the piece was over; and one he called “wasting”: its continual repetition, which made it “contemptible.”……
Who was this famous person?…….
This might be too easy, so we’ll start at Two (2) White Pawns for the correct answer, and add One (1) White Pawn per day until the answer is revealed…….
August 6th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
Sounds like it should be that curr Machiavelli.
August 6th, 2007 at 10:42 pm
Define “modern times.” How modern are we talking here?
August 7th, 2007 at 7:34 am
Actually, Anon, Machiavelli had the “Good Letters” that were deemed necessary to be called a “Renaissance Man”, although he was not considered as the best to be chosen for this title, it is suggested that he had the inter-disciplinary mind and the cultural knowledge to be known as such during the time period we are talking about….. Not Machiavelli……
Izard, we are talking about today’s historians looking back on the events and times of “The Renaissance Period” of the 16th Century (hint) and making blanket judgements without fully taking into consideration the requirements of the time to have such a title bestowed on someone…..
Another hint: This came from the man’s notebooks about poets:
August 8th, 2007 at 7:14 am
Another hint?…… Clarification: He is not only considered a “Renaissance Man”, he is cited nowadays as “THE RENAISSANCE MAN”….. He has obviously been chosen to flatter our dominant interests: art and science….. This should give it all away…… Someone grab the Four (4) White Pawns….. I’m running out of hints…..
August 8th, 2007 at 8:02 am
Leonardo da Vinci?
August 8th, 2007 at 12:41 pm
HS knocks a Home Run….. Mr. da Vinci himself….. A genius – Yes, A man of Letters and a True “Renaissance Man” by definition- No…… HS gets the Four (4) White Pawns……