The Double Face of Humanism: man as the measure of all things

Abstract

This essay argues that at the root of the Humanistic tradition there is a radical ambiguity. The underlying notion of “man as the measure of all things” that grounds humanism can be taken as both the starting point for a radical arrogance that over-inflates man’s beliefs in his capabilities and possibilities, and, contrariwise, it can be seen as the starting point for a radical modesty in face of the complexity of things. Each of these conclusions has consequences that encompass the epistemic, the ethical, the social, and the political. This essay attempts to sketch out and explore some of those implications.