Oration on the Dignity of Man

An ardent treatise for the Dignity of Man, which elevates Humanism to a truly Christian level, making this writing as pertinent today as it was in the Fifteenth Century.

Written as a speech that Pico never actually delivered, “Oration on the Dignity of Man” is often referred to as the “manifesto of the renaissance.” Considered controversial, and even heretical, at the time of its composition, the piece draws on multiple religious and philosophical traditions to create a challenging treaty on human nature and free will. It opens with a celebration of humanity as the greatest, most remarkable of all of God’s creations. Although this is a traditional position that was widely accepted at the time, Pico’s reasoning differs from the established doctrine of the period. Many traditional arguments suggest that humanity is special because humans are the focal point of God’s divine plan, or because they are relatively near to God in “the great chain of being,” or simply because they are conscious and have the capacity to reason. However, Pico argues that many of these things are at least as applicable to angels too, so humanity is not uniquely remarkable or special in this respect.