Douglas Stones

Pico Della Mirandola - The Dignity of Man Douglas Stones

The idea that man can ascend in the chain of beings by exercising his intellectual capacities was a profound guarantee of the dignity of human existence in earthly life. The root of dignity lies in its assertion that only human beings can change themselves by their free will. He observed in human history that philosophies and institutions are always evolving, making man's capacity for self-transformation the only constant. Together with his belief that all creation is a symbolic reflection of Divinity, Giovanni's philosophy had a profound influence from Raimundo Lulio. In the arts, he helped raise the status of writers, poets, painters and sculptors, such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, from a role of mere medieval artisans to a Renaissance ideal of artists considered geniuses that persists to this day.