Humanly Possible audiobook cover - Seven Hundred Years of Humanist Freethinking, Inquiry, and Hope

Humanly Possible

Seven Hundred Years of Humanist Freethinking, Inquiry, and Hope

Sarah Bakewell

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Categories:
HistoryPhilosophy

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Humanly Possible
Defining Humanism+
The Founders (14th Century)+
Female Voices (15th Century)+
Kindness & Inquiry (15th-16th Century)+
Enlightenment & Progress (18th Century)+
Confronting Darkness (20th Century)+
Modern Relevance+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 7
Why does humanism often pose a threat to nations with conservative religious leadership, according to the text?
  • A. It actively seeks to abolish all organized churches and religious institutions.
  • B. It suggests that moral behavior requires only a conscience, rather than religious scripture.
  • C. It promotes the creation of a new, competing humanist church with its own doctrines.
  • D. It argues that all historical religious texts should be destroyed and replaced by science.
Question 2 of 7
What was a defining characteristic of Petrarch and Boccaccio's contribution to early humanism?
  • A. Their devotion to seeking knowledge and unburying manuscripts of the past.
  • B. Their dedication to inventing new scientific methods to combat the bubonic plague.
  • C. Their rejection of literature in favor of their fathers' mercantile and notary professions.
  • D. Their belief that all communication should rely strictly on religious doctrine.
Question 3 of 7
What was the primary focus of Christine de Pizan's 'The Book of the City of Ladies'?
  • A. It was a theological tract arguing for women's right to lead church services.
  • B. It was a historical account of the bubonic plague's impact on European women.
  • C. It was a compilation of stories designed to put women's abilities on display.
  • D. It was a direct translation of Greek philosophy into French and Italian.
Question 4 of 7
How did Erasmus use the human body to argue for his humanist beliefs?
  • A. He argued that human physical weakness proves our need for strict religious governance.
  • B. He claimed that the human brain's complexity is proof that emotion should be suppressed in favor of pure logic.
  • C. He suggested that human bodies are naturally prone to violence, requiring constant education to overcome.
  • D. He believed physical traits like expressive eyes and embracing arms show humans are naturally built for peace and love.
Question 5 of 7
What was Michel de Montaigne's approach to religion within his humanist philosophy?
  • A. He sought to completely eradicate religious belief from European society.
  • B. He freed humanist thinkers from religion by focusing on human life as a gift from God, leaving religious writings to others.
  • C. He blended humanist thought with religion by writing exclusively about theology and scripture.
  • D. He believed that religion and humanism were fundamentally incompatible and forced his readers to choose.
Question 6 of 7
According to Voltaire's 'Candide', what is the danger of the Church's 'all is good' philosophy following the Lisbon earthquake?
  • A. It leads to an overreliance on scientific advancement rather than faith.
  • B. It encourages citizens to actively rebel against their local governments.
  • C. It acts as a cop-out that relieves people of the responsibility to improve the world.
  • D. It causes people to focus too much on their personal feelings and grief.
Question 7 of 7
What caused Thomas Mann to abandon his initial belief that authors should remain apolitical?
  • A. The rise of McCarthyism and its spread of fear regarding communism in America.
  • B. The actions of Hitler and Mussolini, who replaced humanist education to shape citizens for their own ends.
  • C. The realization that Erasmus had failed to acknowledge the darker side of human nature.
  • D. The publication of William Golding's nihilistic novel, Lord of the Flies.

Humanly Possible — Full Chapter Overview

Humanly Possible Summary & Overview

Humanly Possible (2023) traces the roots of humanism in literature and science back through history. While telling the stories of the great humanist thinkers, it sheds light on humanity today as well as how we can better relate to our lives and environment through humanist beliefs and pursuits. 

Who Should Listen to Humanly Possible?

  • Anyone interested in the humanities
  • People looking for non-religious alternatives to moral thinking
  • Optimists

About the Author: Sarah Bakewell

Sarah Bakewell is a creative writing professor and award-winning author of How to Live and At the Existentialist Café. Her work is largely devoted to investigating the great thinkers and intellectual movements that have shaped humanity over time. 

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