04-07-2004, 08:21 PM
Hi,
I've often wondered why there is no such thing as a "Renaissance Man" in this day and age.
'Cause the Renaissance has been over for some centuries? After all, a true Renaissance Man would be over 400 years old ;)
Kidding aside. If by "Renaissance Man" you mean someone who knows all the knowledge that there is available, then that hasn't been possible for quite some time. It's a rare field in which the workers can keep up with the publications. It's physically impossible for anyone to keep up with everything.
If you mean "a person who has wide interests and is expert in several areas" as M-W defines the term, then I submit that there are many such alive -- probably more than in the Renaissance, given the greater population and greater opportunities. One such who comes to mind immediately is the late Issac Asimov. I've met a few others, though few were young.
--Pete
I've often wondered why there is no such thing as a "Renaissance Man" in this day and age.
'Cause the Renaissance has been over for some centuries? After all, a true Renaissance Man would be over 400 years old ;)
Kidding aside. If by "Renaissance Man" you mean someone who knows all the knowledge that there is available, then that hasn't been possible for quite some time. It's a rare field in which the workers can keep up with the publications. It's physically impossible for anyone to keep up with everything.
If you mean "a person who has wide interests and is expert in several areas" as M-W defines the term, then I submit that there are many such alive -- probably more than in the Renaissance, given the greater population and greater opportunities. One such who comes to mind immediately is the late Issac Asimov. I've met a few others, though few were young.
--Pete
How big was the aquarium in Noah's ark?