Citizendia

Leonardo da Vinci is regarded in many Western cultures as the archetypal "Renaissance Man" and is one of the most recognizable polymaths.
Leonardo da Vinci is regarded in many Western cultures as the archetypal "Renaissance Man" and is one of the most recognizable polymaths. Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci ( April 15 1452 – May 2 1519 was an Italian Polymath, having been a scientist Mathematician, Engineer

A polymath (Greek polymathēs, πολυμαθής, "having learned much")[1][2] is a person with encyclopedic, broad, or varied knowledge or learning. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly An encyclopedia (or '''encyclopædia''') is a comprehensive written Compendium that contains Information on either all branches of Knowledge Knowledge is defined ( Oxford English Dictionary) variously as (i expertise and skills acquired by a person through experience or education the theoretical or practical understanding In the fields of Neuropsychology, Personal development and Education, Learning is one of the most important Mental function of humans [3][4][5][6][7]

The dictionary definition is consistent with informal use, whereby someone very knowledgeable is described as a polymath when the term is used as a noun, or polymath or polymathic when used as adjectives. It especially means that the person's knowledge is not restricted to one subject area. The term is used rarely enough to be included in dictionaries of obscure words. A dictionary is a book of alphabetically listed Words in a specific language with definitions etymologies pronunciations and other information or a book of alphabetically [8][9]

Renaissance Man and (less commonly) Homo Universalis are related terms to describe a person who is well educated, or who excels, in a wide variety of subjects or fields. [10][11] This ideal developed in Renaissance Italy from the notion expressed by one of its most accomplished representatives, Leon Battista Alberti (1404–72): that “a man can do all things if he will”. The Italian Renaissance began the opening phase of the Renaissance, a period of great cultural change and achievement in Europe that spanned the period from the end of the 14th Leon Battista Alberti ( February 14, 1404 &ndash April 25, 1472) was an Italian author artist Architect, Poet It embodied the basic tenets of Renaissance Humanism, which considered man the centre of the universe, limitless in his capacities for development, and led to the notion that men should try to embrace all knowledge and develop their own capacities as fully as possible. Humanism is a broad category of ethical philosophies that affirm the dignity and worth of all people based on the ability to determine right and wrong by appealing to universal Thus the gifted men of the Renaissance sought to develop skills in all areas of knowledge, in physical development, in social accomplishments, and in the arts.

Contents

Related terms

Hildegard of Bingen, a medieval polymath, shown dictating to her scribe in an illumination from Liber Scivias
Hildegard of Bingen, a medieval polymath, shown dictating to her scribe in an illumination from Liber Scivias

A different term for the secondary meaning of hytichi is Renaissance Man (a term first recorded in written English in the early twentieth century). Hildegard of Bingen (Hildegard von Bingen Hildegardis Bingensis 1098 – 17 September 1179) also known as Blessed Hildegard and Saint Hildegard Scivias is an illustrated work by Hildegard von Bingen, completed in 1151 or 1152, describing 26 religious visions she experienced [12] Other similar terms also in use are Homo universalis and Uomo Universale, which in Latin and Italian, respectively, translate as "universal person" or "universal man". A polymath ( Greek polymathēs, πολυμαθής "having learned much" is a person whose knowledge is not restricted to one subject area Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. These expressions derived from the ideal in Renaissance Humanism that it was possible to acquire a universal learning[13] in order to develop one's potential, (covering both the arts and the sciences[14] and without necessarily restricting this learning to the academic fields). Further, the scope of learning was much narrower so gaining a command of the known accumulated knowledge was more feasible than today. When someone is called a Renaissance Man today, it is meant that he does not just have broad interests or a superficial knowledge of several fields, but rather that his knowledge is profound, and often that he also has proficiency or accomplishments[15][16][17][18] in (at least some of) these fields, and in some cases even at a level comparable to the proficiency or the accomplishments of an expert. The Renaissance (from French Renaissance, meaning "rebirth" Italian: Rinascimento, from re- "again" and nascere [19] The related term Generalist[20] is used to contrast this general approach to knowledge to that of the specialist. (The expression Renaissance man today commonly implies only intellectual or scholastic proficiency and knowledge and not necessarily the more universal sense of "learning" implied by the Renaissance Humanism). It is important to note, however, that some dictionaries use the term Renaissance man as roughly synonym of polymath in the first meaning, to describe someone versatile with many interests or talents,[21] while others recognize a meaning which is restricted to the Renaissance era and more closely related to the Renaissance ideals. [22]

The term Universal Genius is also used, taking Leonardo da Vinci as a prime example again. Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci ( April 15 1452 – May 2 1519 was an Italian Polymath, having been a scientist Mathematician, Engineer The term seems to be used especially when a Renaissance man has made historical or lasting contributions in at least one of the fields in which he was actively involved and when he had a universality of approach. Despite the existence of this term, a polymath may not necessarily be classed as a genius; and certainly a genius may not display the breadth of knowledge to qualify as a polymath. A genius is a person of great Intelligence or remarkable abilities in a specific subject who shows an exceptional natural capacity of intellect and/or ability especially Albert Einstein and Marie Curie are examples of people widely viewed as geniuses, but who are not generally considered to be polymaths. Albert Einstein ( German: ˈalbɐt ˈaɪ̯nʃtaɪ̯n; English: ˈælbɝt ˈaɪnstaɪn (14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955 was a German -born theoretical

Renaissance ideal

Many notable polymaths lived during the Renaissance period, a cultural movement that spanned roughly the fourteenth through the seventeenth century, beginning in Italy in the late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The Renaissance (from French Renaissance, meaning "rebirth" Italian: Rinascimento, from re- "again" and nascere They had a rounded approach to education which was typical of the ideals of the humanists of the time. Education encompasses both the Teaching and Learning of Knowledge, proper conduct, and technical competency Humanism is a broad category of ethical philosophies that affirm the dignity and worth of all people based on the ability to determine right and wrong by appealing to universal A gentleman or courtier of that era was expected to speak several languages, play a musical instrument, write poetry, and so on, thus fulfilling the Renaissance ideal. The term gentleman (from Latin gentilis, belonging to a race or "gens" and "man" Cognate with the French word gentilhomme A courtier is a person who attends the court of a Monarch or other powerful person. A language is a dynamic set of visual auditory or tactile Symbols of Communication and the elements used to manipulate them A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making Music. An ideal is a Principle or value that one actively pursues as a goal. During the Renaissance, Baldassare Castiglione, in his The Book of the Courtier, wrote a guide to being a polymath. Baldasare Castiglione, count of Novellata ( December 15, 1478 &ndash February 28, 1529) was an Italian Courtier, The Book of the Courtier (Il Cortegiano was written by Baldassare Castiglione over the course of many years beginning in 1508 and published in 1528 just

The Renaissance Ideal differed slightly from the "Polymath" in that it involved more than just intellectual advancement. Historically (roughly 1450–1600) it represented a person who endeavored to "develop his capacities as fully as possible" (Britannica, "Renaissance Man") both mentally and physically. The Encyclopædia Britannica is a general English-language encyclopaedia published by Encyclopædia Britannica Inc Being an accomplished athlete was considered integral and not separate from education and learning of the highest order. Example: Leon Battista Alberti, who was an architect, painter, poet, scientist, mathematician, and also a skilled horseman. Leon Battista Alberti ( February 14, 1404 &ndash April 25, 1472) was an Italian author artist Architect, Poet

Some Renaissance Men

The following list provides examples of notable polymaths (in the secondary meaning only, that is, Renaissance men). Caution is necessary when interpreting the word polymath (in the second meaning or any of its synonyms) in a source, since there's always ambiguity of what the word denotes. Also, when a list of subjects in relation to the polymath is given, such lists often seem to imply that the notable polymath was reputable in all fields, but the most common case is that the polymath made his reputation in one or two main fields where he had widely recognized achievements, and that he was merely proficient or actively involved in other fields, but, once again, not necessarily with achievements comparable to those of renowned experts of his time in these fields. The list does not attempt to be comprehensive or authoritative in any way. The list also includes the Hakeem of the Islamic Golden Age (also known as the "Islamic Renaissance"), who are considered equivalent to the Renaissance Men of the European Renaissance era.

The following people represent prime examples of "Renaissance Men" and "universal geniuses", so to say "polymaths" in the strictest interpretation of the secondary meaning of the word.

Renaissance ideal today

During the Renaissance, the ideal of Renaissance humanism included the acquisition of almost all available important knowledge. Renaissance Humanism was a European intellectual movement beginning in Florence in the last decades of the 14th century At that time, several universal geniuses seem to have come close to that ideal, with actual achievements in multiple fields. With the passage of time however, "universal learning" has begun to appear ever more self-contradictory. For example, a famous dispute between "Jacob Burckhardt (whose Die Kultur der Renaissance in Italien of 1860 established Alberti as the prototype of the Renaissance Man) and Julius von Schlosser (whose Die Kunstliteratur of 1924 expresses discontent with Burckhardt's assessments on several counts)" deals with the issue of whether Alberti was indeed a dilettante or an actual Universal Man;[57] while an 1863 article about rhetoric said, for instance: "an universal genius is not likely to attain to distinction and to eminence in any thing [sic]. Jacob Christoph Burckhardt ( May 25, 1818, Basel, Switzerland &ndash August 8, 1897, Basel was a Swiss Sic is a Latin word meaning "thus" "so" "as such" or "just as that" To achieve her best results, and to produce her most matured fruit, Genius must bend all her energies in one direction; strive for one object; keep her brain and hand upon one desired purpose and aim". [58]

Since it is considered extremely difficult to genuinely acquire an encyclopaedic knowledge, and even more to be proficient in several fields at the level of an expert (see expertise about research in this area), not to mention to achieve excellence or recognition in multiple fields, the word polymath, in both senses, may also be used, often ironically, with a potentially negative connotation as well. An "expert" ( is someone widely recognized as a reliable source of technique or Skill whose faculty for judging or deciding rightly justly Under this connotation, by sacrificing depth for breadth, the polymath becomes a "jack of all trades, master of none". " Jack of all trades master of none " is a Figure of speech used in reference to a person who is competent with many skills but is not outstanding in any one For many specialists, in the context of today's hyperspecialization, the ideal of a Renaissance man is judged to be an anachronism, since it is not uncommon that a specialist can barely dominate the accumulated knowledge of more than just one restricted subfield in his whole life, and many renowned experts have been made famous only for dominating different subfields or traditions or for being able to integrate the knowledge of different subfields or traditions. An anachronism (from the Greek "ana" " ανά " "against anti-" and "chronos" " χρόνος "

In addition, today, expertise is often associated with documents, certifications, diplomas, and degrees attributing to such, and a person who seems to have an abundance of these is often perceived as having more education than practical "working" experience. Autodidactic polymaths often combine didactic education and expertise in multiple fields with autodidactic research and experience to create the Renaissance ideal. Autodidacticism (also autodidactism) is self-education or self-directed learning Didacticism is an artistic philosophy that emphasizes instructional and informative qualities in Literature and other types of Art.

Many fields of interest take years of singleminded devotion to achieve expertise, often requiring starting at an early age. Also, many require cultural familiarity that may be inaccessible to someone not born and raised in that culture. In many such cases, it is realistically possible to achieve only knowledge of theory if not practical experience. The word theory has many distinct meanings in different fields of Knowledge, depending on their methodologies and the context of discussion. For example, on a safari, a jungle native will be a more effective guide than an American scientist who may be educated in the theories of jungle survival but did not grow up acquiring his knowledge the hard way. SAFARI was an attempt by the French government under the presidency of Georges Pompidou, to create a centralized database of personal data The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

However, those supporting the ideal of the Renaissance man today would say that the specialist's understanding of the interrelation of knowledge from different fields is too narrow and that a synthetic comprehension of different fields is unavailable to him, or, if they embrace the Renaissance ideal even more deeply, that the human development of the specialist is truncated by the narrowness of his view. What is much more common today than the universal approach to knowledge from a single polymath, is the multidisciplinary approach to knowledge which derives from several experts in different fields.

Polymath and polyhistor compared

Many dictionaries of word origins list these words as synonyms or, as words with very similar meanings. A polyhistor is someone of great Erudition: having a knowledge spanning many fields A dictionary is a book of alphabetically listed Words in a specific language with definitions etymologies pronunciations and other information or a book of alphabetically This article deals with the general meaning of the term "synonym" Thomas Moore took the words as corresponding to similarly erudite "polys" in one of his poems "Off I fly, careering far/ In chase of Pollys, prettier far/ Than any of their namesakes are, / —The Polymaths and Polyhistors, Polyglots and all their sisters. Thomas Moore (28 May 1779 &ndash 25 February 1852 was an Irish poet singer songwriter and Entertainer, now best remembered for the lyrics of The Minstrel "[59]

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the words mean practically the same; "the classical Latin word polyhistor was used exclusively, and the Greek word frequently, of Alexander Polyhistor", but polymathist appeared later, and then polymath. The Oxford English Dictionary ( OED) published by the Oxford University Press (OUP is a comprehensive Dictionary of the English Lucius Cornelius Alexander Polyhistor was a Greek scholar who was enslaved by the Romans during the Mithridatic War and taken to Rome as a tutor Thus today, regardless of any differentiation they may have had when originally coined, they are often taken to mean the same thing.

The root terms histor and math have similar meanings in their etymological antecedents (to learn, learned, knowledge), though with some initial and ancillarily added differing qualities. Etymology is the study of the History of Words &mdash when they entered a language from what source and how their form and meaning have changed over time Innate in historíā (Greek and Latin) is that the learning takes place via inquiry and narrative. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Inquiry or enquiry is any process that has the aim of augmenting Knowledge, resolving Doubt, or solving a Problem. A narrative or story is a construct created in a suitable format (written spoken poetry prose images song Theater, or Dance) that describes a sequence of Hístōr also implies that the polyhistor displays erudition and wisdom. A polyhistor is someone of great Erudition: having a knowledge spanning many fields The word erudition came into Middle English from Latin. A scholar is erudite (Latin eruditus) when instruction and reading followed by digestion From Proto-Indo-European it shares a root with the word "wit". Inquiry and narrative are specific sets of pedagogical and research heuristics. heuristic (hyu̇-ˈris-tik is a method to help solve a problem commonly an informal method

Polyhistoric is the corresponding adjective. The word polyhistory (meaning varied learning), when used, is often derogatory.


List of recognized polymaths

The following people have been described as "polymaths" by several sources—fulfilling the primary definition of the term—although there may not be expert consensus that each is a prime example in the secondary meaning, as "renaissance men" and "universal geniuses" (see Some Renaissance Men above for prime examples of "renaissance men" or "universal geniuses").

"'Polymath' sportsmen"

In Britain, phrases such as "polymath sportsman," "sporting polymath," or simply "polymath" are occasionally used in a restricted sense to refer to athletes that have performed at a high level in several very different sports. (One whose accomplishments are limited to athletics would not be considered to be a "polymath" in the usual sense of the word). Examples would include:

". . . I really never imagined myself being a professional athlete. "

Fictional polymaths

Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes, Nero Wolfe, Gregory House of House M.D., Robert Goren of Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Citan Uzuki of Xenogears, Buckaroo Banzai, Artemis Fowl II, Grand Admiral Thrawn of Star Wars, Dunstan Ramsay of Robertson Davies's novel Fifth Business, Professor Abraham Van Helsing of Bram Stoker's Dracula, Batman, Mister Peabody, Gil Grissom of CSI: Las Vegas, Agent Pendergast, Hannibal Lecter, Doc Savage, Mr. Spock of Star Trek, James Bond, Jarod of The Pretender, Dess of Midnighter's Trilogy by Scott Westerfeld, Charlie of Heroes, MacGyver and many main characters in the novels of Robert A. Heinlein could fairly be described as polymaths. Sherlock Holmes is a famous fictional detective of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries who first appeared in Publication in 1887 Mycroft Holmes is a Fictional character in the stories written by Arthur Conan Doyle. Nero Wolfe is a fictional detective created by the American Mystery writer Rex Stout, who made his debut in 1934 Gregory House, MD, is a Fictional character and Protagonist of the American Medical drama House. House, also known as House MD, is an American Medical drama, which debuted on the FOX network on November 16 2004 Det Robert "Bobby" Goren is a Fictional character featured in NBC 's Law & Order Criminal Intent. Law & Order Criminal Intent is an American Television series set in New York City. is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) for Sony 's PlayStation. is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) for Sony 's PlayStation. Buckaroo Banzai is the lead character played by Peter Weller, of the eponymous 1984 Cult film, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Artemis Fowl II is the main character of the fictional series Artemis Fowl by the Irish author Eoin Colfer. Star Wars is an epic Space opera franchise initially conceived by George Lucas during the 1970s and significantly expanded William Robertson Davies, CC, FRSC, FRSL (born August 28, 1913, at Thamesville, Ontario, and died December Fifth Business is a 1970 novel by Canadian novelist playwright, critic, journalist, and Professor Robertson Abraham "Bram" Stoker (8 November 1847 – 20 April 1912 was an Irish writer of novels and short stories who is best known today for his 1897 horror Dracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker, featuring as its primary Antagonist the vampire Count Dracula. Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-Man and still referred to at times as the Batman) is a fictional Comic book Superhero co-created Mr Peabody is a fictional Dog who appeared in the late 1950s and early 1960s Television Animated series Rocky Gilbert "Gil" Grissom, PhD is a Fictional character portrayed by William Petersen on the American TV Crime drama. CSI Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama Television series that trails the investigations of a team of Las Vegas Aloysius X L Pendergast is a Fictional character appearing in Novels by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. Origin and development Thomas Harris has given few interviews and has never explained where he got inspiration for Hannibal Lecter but in a documentary for Hannibal Rising Doc Savage is a Fictional character, one of the Pulp heroes of the 1930s and 1940s Spock (sometimes referred to as Mr Spock) is a main character in the original Star Trek TV series James Bond 007 is a Fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve Novels and two Short story The Pretender is an American television series that aired on NBC for four seasons between 1996 and 2000 This is an alphabetical list of characters with special abilities appearing in the television series Heroes as well as the ''Heroes'' graphic novels. Heroes is an American Science fiction television drama series created by Tim Kring, which premiered on NBC on September Angus MacGyver, known as just MacGyver or Mac until the finale of the fictional American Television series MacGyver, is the highly Robert Anson Heinlein (July 7 1907 – May 8 1988 was an American Novelist and Science fiction Writer.

Polymaths in fiction often have a certain eccentricity about their knowledge, e. g. , Doctor Who: "He claims he's (a doctor) of everything. The Doctor is the central character in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who, and also features in "

In the film Phenomenon, John Travolta plays a character who has inexplicably and suddenly become a budding polymath-type individual, somewhat akin to the character in Flowers for Algernon. Phenomenon is a 1996 drama, romance, and Fantasy film written by Gerald Di Pego, directed by Jon Turteltaub Flowers for Algernon is a Science fiction Short story and subsequent Novel written by Daniel Keyes.

See also

References and notes

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  3. ^ Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
  4. ^ Definition from Wordsmyth
  5. ^ Definition from Oxford concise dictionary
  6. ^ Definition from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language
  7. ^ See Reference.com for examples of actual use
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  80. ^ Brand, Peter; Lino Pertile (1999). The Cambridge History of Italian Literature. Cambridge University Press. ISBN.   "Leon Battista Alberti), more versatile than Bruni, is often considered the archetype of the Renaissance polymath. " p. 138
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  88. ^ Dankoff, Robert (2004). An Ottoman Mentality: The World of Evliya Celebi. BRILL, 223. ISBN 9004137157.  
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  104. ^ Steer, Duncan (2003). Cricket: The Golden Age. Cassell illustrated. ISBN-X.   "Footballer, cricketer, politician and polymath C. B. Fry, now commander of a Royal Navy training ship" p. 51
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  116. ^ Brian Viner (2006-10-12). Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 539 BC - The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon. Sporting polymath is a full-time post for which only obsessives need apply: It is hard to get the head round the idea that one man excelled in so many sports. The Independent. Retrieved on 2006-10-12. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 539 BC - The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon. : "I read a book by Mick Collins called All-Round Genius: The Unknown Story of Britain's Greatest Sportsman. It is about a man called Max Woosnam, who. . . toured Brazil with the famous Corinthians football team in 1913. . . won an Olympic gold medal for tennis, played golf off scratch, scored a century at Lord's, and made a 147 break on the snooker table. "

Further reading

Dictionary

polymath

-noun

  1. A person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge.
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