Imagine being a law student in France in 1320. Your education is mainly focused on logic, but you feel it’s uninspiring. Education shouldn’t just teach people about careers, like being a lawyer, you think.
It should provide beautiful poetry, moving stories, and wise philosophy. You admire the writings of ancient Greece and Rome, because they talk about history, politics, and living a fulfilling life on Earth, not just about spiritual salvation. Your name is Petrarch, and you’re one of the first humanists.
Petrarch had ideas that were very different from those of most medieval thinkers. Let’s explore the work of others and see how people’s thinking changed during the course of the Renaissance.
