“The Swerve” Chapter 7 2-1-Q
Chapter 7 dives into the role that Poggio Bracciolini had and the role of his work. As he discovered the manuscript of Lucretius’s “De Rerum Natura”. Poggio ended up using the knowledge he had of Lucretius to argue for a more flexible and practical approach to politics, implying that even in a seemingly predetermined world, individuals can shape their destiny through unexpected choices and actions. By the author emphasizing individual agency in Lucretius’ atomic theory, Poggio subtly advocates for humanist ideas that value personal thought and action over strict hierarchical systems.
A connection to the world in this chapter is how it implies that in a predetermined world we can shape who we are and we can make our own choices on what we want.
A question I have from this chapter: How does Poggio’s discovery of Lucretius’ poem reflect the tensions between classical ideas and the emerging Renaissance humanism?
