Recovering Humanism: Renaissance Perspectives on the Human Psyche

Recovering Humanism: Renaissance Perspectives on the Human psyche

takes Place Every other Wednesday in June and July: 6/3, 6/17, 7/1, 7/15, & 7/29

Virtually from 7:00pm-8:30pm

Presenter:

Matthew Clemente is the Director of Research & Curriculum at Center for

Psychological Humanities & Ethics and an Assistant Professor of the

Practice in the Department of Formative Education at Boston College.

He is the Coeditor in Chief of the Journal for Continental Philosophy of

Religion and the Codirector of the Guestbook Project, a 501c3 non-profit.

He is the Series Editor of two book series with Routledge/Taylor &

Francis and has authored or edited over a dozen books.

Description:

The foundations of psychological science and the conceptions of

personhood still resonant within the field today, can arguably be traced

back to the humanistic tradition that arose during the Renaissance and

transformed the artistic, cultural, and educational landscape of the time.

Engaging with works of philosophy and philosophical anthropology from

that period can thus reignite an appreciation for the deeper intellectual

currents that gave rise to psychology and psychotherapeutic care.

Participants in this 5-session Psychological Humanities and Ethics

workshop will meet every other Wednesday from 7 to 830 pm EST in the

months of June and July. Reading the majors theoretical works of the

Renaissance not in the classical sense but as forerunners to modern

psychology, participants will trace the genesis of such fundamental

psychological concepts as identity, personhood, subjectivity, and humor.

By the end of this course, participants will have an in-depth knowledge of

the major works and ideas of one of most philosophical rich and

psychologically influential epochs in western thought.

Learning Objectives

June 3rd – On the Dignity of Man

(1) Describe Della Mirandola’s notion of personhood and how it has

influenced contemporary understandings of the self.

(2) Explain what Della Mirandola means by “dignity” and where it

comes from.

(3) Explain the clinical implications of such a definition of dignity.

June 17th – Utopia

(1) Identify the major cultural critiques that operate just beneath the

surface of More’s great text.

(2) Explain how those critiques are still relevant to subjects living in the

modern era.

(3) Explain how politics and culture, according to More, shape the self

and our understanding of one another.

July 1st – The Prince

(1) Compare Machiavelli’s political and sociological insights to the

ideas we grappled with in More’s Utopia.

(2) Explain how Machiavelli’s understanding of the political subject still

informs contemporary discourse.

(3) Assess how power dynamics within a given cultural impact the

cultivation of a self.

July 15th – The Praise of Folly

(1) Explain Erasmus’ notion of folly and why he valorizes it.

(2) Describe the role of humor in psychological discourse.

(3) Assess how Erasmus’ satire contrasts with the more earnest works

we have read to this point.

July 29th – The Praise of Folly

(1) Compare Erasmus’ understanding of humor with Freud’s ideas on

how jokes function within psychotherapeutic settings.

(2) Compare the “wisdom of folly” with current psychological

conceptions of symptoms expressing deeper truths.

(3) Apply Erasmus insights to practical settings and discuss how humor

can be utilized as a tool for psychotherapeutic care.

Timeline and Requirements:

This course takes place every other Wednesday in June and July: 6/3, 6/17, 7/1, 7/15 and 7/29/. This coure will be held virtually over zoom.

CE Sponsorship:

Pending Approval

Fees and Policies: 

Payment is due by credit card at registration. Refunds will be granted only up until registration closes at 7am on June 3rd. No refunds will be granted for errors on the participant's part (such as incorrect name/email upon registration, login failure, scheduling conflicts, etc.).

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals to engage fully. If you need to request an accommodation or ask a question about accessibility, please contact wcas.cece@bc.edu.

Additional offerings from the Woods College Office of Continuing Education and Community Engagement can be found on our website.