Erasmus of Rotterdam short biography. Erasmus of Rotterdam: a brief biography, philosophical doctrine and main ideas

Under a pseudonym Erasmus of Rotterdam, as well as Desiderius, Gerhard Gerhards is known - a Dutch scientist, humanist, the largest figure of the northern Renaissance, a man who received the nickname "prince of the humanists", philologist, theologian, writer. He was credited with preparing the first annotated edition of the original New Testament. It was from him that attempts began to study the texts of sacred scriptures as an object of critical research.

Erasmus was born in 1469, on October 28, in the town of Gouda near Rotterdam, and was the illegitimate son of a priest. After studying at a local primary school he continued to be educated at Nertogenbosch, a school set up by the Brethren common life". The status of an illegitimate child and character traits led him to the decision to link his fate with the monastery. In 1492, he really took the priesthood in the Augustinian monastery.

shiny intellectual ability, a wide range of knowledge, excellent command of Latin attracted the attention of influential people, and thanks to this, Erasmus of Rotterdam was able to leave the monastery to which his soul ceased to lie, worked as a secretary for the Bishop of Cambrai. In 1495 he was sent by his patron to the University of Paris to study theology, and for several years he lived in France. In 1499, Mr.. made a trip to England, lectured at Oxford University.

The first significant work of Erasmus of Rotterdam was "Adagia", published in 1500. They were a collection of sayings, sayings, anecdotes, aphorisms, found by him in the writings of writers of antiquity and early Christianity. Thanks to this book, the author became known throughout the continent. For some time, Erasmus of Rotterdam did not live in one place, but traveled, in particular, through French cities.

In 1504, he published the book "Weapons of the Christian Warrior", in which the author outlined the main principles of his "philosophy of Christ." By religion, Erasmus of Rotterdam remained a Catholic, although he is considered the forerunner of the Reformation. He called for the sacred Christian texts to be read in a new way, in more depth, based on a scientific approach.

Having made another trip to England, Erasmus of Rotterdam in 1505 went to Italy, where he lived for two years. There he was honored, he was favored by the Pope himself; at the University of Turin, the humanist received an honorary doctorate in theology. The third trip to England was marked in creative biography Erasmus of Rotterdam by writing the most outstanding work - the satire "Praise of stupidity." The publication of the pamphlet in 1509 made him one of the most authoritative theologians of his time. His opinion in the field humanities was indisputable. Erasmus of Rotterdam was in correspondence with many prominent personalities; taught for several years Greek language at the University of Cambridge.

In 1513, the scientist left for Germany for two years, where he traveled to different cities, but in 1515 he again went to England. Thanks to the fact that Charles of Spain, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, made him a royal adviser, without burdening him with any duties, Erasmus of Rotterdam could, without worrying about material support, engage in science even more intensively. At the same time, he went on trips more than once, linking the last years of his biography with Basel. In this Swiss city he published whole line works, among which - a translation into Latin of the New Testament. Starting from 1524, works appear in which Erasmus of Rotterdam argues with Martin Luther. One of the humanist's areas of interest was pedagogy, to which he also devoted a number of works; The most famous of them are considered "Conversations easily" (he worked on them from 1519 to 1535). Erasmus of Rotterdam died in Basel on July 12, 1536.

Biography from Wikipedia

Desiderius Erasmus Also Erasmus of Rotterdam, or simply Erasmus(lat. Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus, Dutch Gerrit Gerritszoon; (real name Gerhard Gerhards, October 28, 1469 (1466, 1467) Gouda, a suburb of Rotterdam, the Burgundian Netherlands - July 12, 1536, Basel, Swiss Union) - the largest scholar of the Northern Renaissance, nicknamed "the prince of the humanists", prepared the first edition of the Greek original of the New Testament with comments, laid the foundation for a critical study of the text of the Holy Scriptures, contributed to the return to cultural use literary heritage antiquity. He wrote mainly in Latin.

Having earned all-European fame for his freedom-loving views, Erasmus did not accept the Reformation and at the end of his life he sharply argued with Luther about the doctrine of free will (which many Protestants questioned).

He was born on October 28, 1469 (according to other versions, 1467), in Gouda (20 km from Rotterdam) in what is now the Netherlands. His father, who belonged to one of the burgher families of the town of Gouda (at the crossroads of the roads Rotterdam-Amsterdam and The Hague-Utrecht), was carried away in his youth by one girl who reciprocated him. The parents, who had predetermined their son for a spiritual career, resolutely opposed his marriage. The lovers, nevertheless, became close, and the fruit of their relationship was a son, to whom the parents gave the name Gerhard, that is, desired, - the name from which, by means of the usual Latinization and Greekization at that time, his double was subsequently formed. pseudonym Desiderius Erasmus that made me forget his real name.

Education

He received his primary education first at a local elementary school; from there he moved to Deventer, where he entered one of the schools founded by the “communal fraternities”, the programs of which included the study of the ancient classics.

At the age of 13, he lost his parents. He understood that with such an inheritance, a public career would be inaccessible to him. Therefore, soon, after some hesitation, he decides to retire to a monastery.

Monastery

He spent several years in the monastery walls. He devoted most of his free time to reading his favorite classical authors and to improving his knowledge of Latin and Greek, the monastic life was alien to him.

Soon attracts the attention of influential patrons with outstanding knowledge, a brilliant mind and an extraordinary art of mastering elegant Latin speech. The Bishop of Cambrai took him to be his secretary for correspondence in Latin.

Thanks to such church patrons, Erasmus was able to leave the monastery, give scope to his long-standing inclinations to humanistic science and visit all the main centers of humanism of that time. From Cambrai he moved to Paris, which at that time was still the center of scholastic learning.

Confession

In Paris, Erasmus published his first major work - Adagia, a collection of sayings and anecdotes extracted from the writings of various ancient writers. This book made the name of Erasmus famous in humanistic circles throughout Europe. After several years in France, he traveled to England, where he was greeted with warm hospitality and honor, as a well-known humanist.

He made friends here with many humanists, especially with Thomas More, author of the novel "Utopia", John Colet, and later with John Fisher and Prince Henry, the future King Henry VIII. Returning from England in 1499, Erasmus leads a nomadic life for some time - successively visits Paris, Orleans, Leuven, Rotterdam. After a new trip to England, in 1505-1506, Erasmus finally got the opportunity to visit Italy, where he had long been attracted.

In Italy, Erasmus met with an honorable, sometimes enthusiastic reception. The University of Turin presented him with a diploma for the title of honorary doctor of theology; the pope, as a sign of his special favor to Erasmus, gave him permission to lead a lifestyle and dress in accordance with the customs of each country where he had to live.

After two years of traveling in Italy, he successively visited Turin, Bologna, Florence, Venice, Padua, Rome, and for the third time went to England, where his friends urged him, and where, shortly before, a great his admirer, Henry VIII. During this journey, according to Erasmus himself, he wrote the famous satire "Praise of Stupidity." Oxford and Cambridge universities offered him a professorship.

Teaching in Cambridge

Erasmus chose Cambridge, where one of his close acquaintances, Bishop Fisher, was the "Chancellor of the University". Here Erasmus taught Greek for several years, as one of the rare experts in this language at that time, and taught theological courses, which he based on the original text of the New Testament. This was a great innovation at that time, since most theologians of that time continued to follow in their courses the medieval, scholastic method, which reduced all theological science to the study of treatises by Duns Scotus, Thomas Aquinas, and a few other favorite medieval authorities.

Erasmus devoted several pages to characterizing these adherents of scholastic theology in his Praise of Folly.

“They are so absorbed in their delicious nonsense that, spending days and nights behind them, they no longer find a minute of time to turn over the pages of the Gospel or the Epistles of the Apostle Paul at least once. But, engaging in their learned nonsense, they are quite sure that the universal church rests on their syllogisms as well as the sky on the shoulders of Atlas, and that without them the church would not have lasted even a minute.

In 1511, Erasmus was honored to be Lady Margaret Professor of Theology at Cambridge University.

Two years later, citing the inhospitable and unhealthy climate of England, in 1513 Erasmus traveled to Germany. The two years he spent here were two years of new travel throughout Germany. Here he met Ulrich Tsaziy.

But soon he was drawn to England, where he went again in 1515.

At the court of Charles V

IN next year he again migrated to the continent, and already forever.

This time, Erasmus found himself a powerful patron in the person of Charles of Spain (the future Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, Charles V). The latter granted him the rank of “royal adviser”, which was not associated with any real functions, or even with the obligation to stay at court, but gave a salary of 400 florins. This created a completely secure position for Erasmus, relieving him of all material worries, and made it possible to devote himself entirely to his passion for scientific pursuits. Since then, indeed, the scientific and literary productivity of Erasmus has been increasing. The new appointment, however, did not force Erasmus to abandon his restlessness - he visited Brussels, Louvain, Antwerp, Freiburg, and Basel. Only in the last years of his life did he finally establish his settlement in the last of these cities, where he ended his days; he died on the night of July 12, 1536.

Characteristic, ethnicity

Erasmus belongs to the older generation of Anglo-German humanists, the "Reuchlin" generation, although he was also among the older representatives of the latter (he was 12 years younger than Reuchlin); but by nature literary activity, in its satirical tone, he is already largely adjacent to the humanists of the younger, "Hutten" generation. However, he cannot be completely attributed to any particular group of humanists: he was "a man in himself," as he is characterized in Letters from Dark People.

A German by his belonging to the empire, a Dutchman by blood and birthplace, Erasmus least of all resembled a Dutchman in his mobile, lively, sanguine temperament, and perhaps that is why he so soon strayed from his homeland, to which he never found no special attraction. Germany, with which he was bound by citizenship to the "emperor", and in which he spent most of his wandering life, did not become his second home; German patriotism, which animated the majority of German humanists, remained completely alien to Erasmus, like any patriotism in general. Germany was in his eyes no more his homeland than France, where he spent several best years own life.

Erasmus himself was quite indifferent to his ethnic background. “They call me Batav,” he says in one of his letters; - but personally I'm not quite sure; it may very well be that I am Dutch, but we must not forget that I was born in that part of Holland, which is much closer to France than to Germany. In another place, he expresses himself in a no less characteristic way: "I do not at all want to say that I am a Frenchman, but I do not find it necessary to deny this either." We can say that the real spiritual home of Erasmus was the ancient world, where he really felt at home.

It is also characteristic that at the end of his life, Erasmus, after long wanderings around the world, chose the imperial city of Basel as a place of permanent residence, which, in its geographical and political position and in the composition of its population, had an international, cosmopolitan character.

Influence on contemporaries

Erasmus occupies a very special place in the history of German humanism also for that unprecedented honorable and influential position in society, which for the first time in European history- received in his person a man of science, literature and art.

Before Erasmus, history does not know of a single such phenomenon, and such a thing could not have happened before the spread of printing, which gave people thoughts an unprecedentedly powerful tool of influence.

After Erasmus, for all continuation new history, only one similar fact can be pointed out: the completely exceptional position that fell to the lot of Voltaire at the apogee of his literary glory, in the second half of the 18th century. “From England to Italy,” says one contemporary of Erasmus, “and from Poland to Hungary, his glory thundered.” The most powerful sovereigns of Europe at that time, Henry VIII of England, Francis I of France, popes, cardinals, prelates, statesmen and the most famous scientists considered it an honor to be in correspondence with him. The papal curia offered him a cardinality; the Bavarian government expressed its readiness to give him a large pension just for him to choose Nuremberg as his place of permanent residence. During the trips of Erasmus, some cities arranged solemn meetings for him, as a sovereign. He was called the "oracle of Europe", not only people of science turned to him for advice - on various scientific and philosophical issues, but also statesmen, even sovereigns - on various political issues. As a humanist, Erasmus is closest to Reuchlin: both of them are outstanding bearers of that scientific spirit, the spirit of research and precise knowledge, which constitutes one of the most essential features in the characterization of humanism in general.

Philologist

Erasmus, along with Johann Reuchlin, was called by contemporaries "the two eyes of Germany." Like Reuchlin, Erasmus - who spoke Latin no worse than his native language - worked hard on collecting the manuscripts of classical authors and on the critical edition of their writings. Along with Reuchlin, Erasmus was one of the few connoisseurs of the Greek language and literature at that time. The authority that Erasmus enjoyed in the field of Greek philology can be judged, for example, by the fact that his opinion regarding the way of pronouncing certain vowels of the Greek alphabet (etas and diphthongs) was universally recognized both in Germany and in some other countries, contrary to an ingrained tradition supported by the authority of the Greek teachers.

Theologian

Erasmus was also the first to apply on a large scale the scientific methods of work in the field of theology. His critical editions of the New Testament and the Church Fathers laid the foundation for scientific theology in the West, instead of the hitherto dominant scholasticism. In particular, Erasmus largely set the stage for Protestant theology, not only with his editions of theological texts, but in part also with some of his theological ideas (for example, with his doctrine of free will).

Thus, Erasmus, who, especially in the later period of his life, persistently denied any solidarity with both Luther and other church reformers, found himself, against his will, in the role of one of the founders of Protestant dogma. At this point, the literary and scientific activity of Erasmus is in contact with in a positive way with the reform movement; but it comes into contact with the latter also - and perhaps to a greater extent - and in a negative way , since in his satirical works Erasmus acts as a whistleblower of various negative aspects contemporary church reality in the Catholic world.

Satirist

Of the satirical works, thanks to which his scientific and literary activity received wide public importance and determined its prominent place not only in the history of literature, but also in general history, the “Praise of Stupidity” is especially prominent ( Moriæ-Encomium, sive Stultitiæ Laus). This short work was written by Erasmus - in his own words, from nothing to do - during a long, with the means of communication of that time, his move from Italy to England in 1509. Erasmus himself looked at this work of his as a literary trinket - but he owes his literary celebrity and his place in history to this trinket, in any case, no less than to his multi-volume scientific works.

Published for the first time in Paris in 1511, Erasmus' satire ran up to seven editions in a few months; in all, during his lifetime, it was reprinted in different places at least 40 times. Published in 1898 by the Directorate of the University Library in Ghent (Belgium), the "preliminary" and, therefore, the list of editions of Erasmus' works to be supplemented includes more than two hundred editions for the "Praise of Folly" (including translations).

This unparalleled success is due to many circumstances, among which the name of the author, already loud even then, played an important role. But its main conditions lay in the work itself, in a successful plan and its brilliant execution. Erasmus had a good idea - to look at the modern reality surrounding him, as well as at all of humanity, at the whole world from the point of view of stupidity.

This point of view, proceeding from such a universal property inherent in “all times and peoples” as stupidity, gave the author the opportunity, touching on a lot of burning issues of our time, at the same time to give his observations of the surrounding reality the character of universality and adherence to principles, to highlight the private and the individual. , accidental and temporary from the point of view of the universal, permanent, regular, draw a satirical portrait of all mankind. This universal character, being one of the attractive aspects of the work for contemporary readers of the author, at the same time protected him from oblivion in the future. Thanks to him, "Praise of Stupidity" took a place in the series ageless works of the human word - not because of the artistic beauty of the form, but because of the presence of that universal element, which makes it understandable and interesting for every person, no matter what time, no matter what nation, no matter what stratum of society he belongs to.

The dominant tone of Erasmus' satire - humorous, but not sarcastic. His laughter is permeated mainly with benevolent humor, often with subtle irony, almost never with scourging sarcasm. In the satirist, one feels not so much an indignant moralist with a frown and a pessimistic view of the environment, but a cheerful humanist who looks at life with optimistic complacency and sees in its negative sides mostly an excuse to laugh heartily and joke.

In its form, The Praise of Stupidity is a parody of the panegyric, a form that was very popular at the time; the only original thing here is that the panegyric in this case is not pronounced on behalf of the author or another outside speaker, but put into the mouth of the most personified stupidity.

teacher

Key Ideas on which the pedagogy of Erasmus is built:

• People are not born, but are made by education;
• Reason makes a man a man;
• Man has free will, and only therefore is his moral and legal responsibility possible;
• He opposed all violence and wars;
• A child must be properly educated from birth. It's better if the parents do it. If they cannot do it themselves, they must find a good teacher;
• The child must be given a religious, intellectual and moral education;
• Physical development is important.

In his main pedagogical treatise “On the Primary Education of Children”, as well as in other works on education (“On the good manners of children”, “Conversations”, “Method of teaching”, “Way to write letters”), Erasmus identified the need for a combination of ancient and Christian traditions in the development of pedagogical ideals, as well as the principle of student activity (innate abilities can only be realized through hard work).

He spoke out for the protection of the child, for the protection of childhood, which was fundamentally new in understanding childhood and the role of education, new in pedagogy. He believed that the child has the right to a proper upbringing. Inner world a child is a divine world and should not be treated with cruelty. He sharply opposed the cruelty of the medieval school, which he called the “torture chamber”, where you can’t hear anything except the noise of rods and sticks, cries of pain and sobs, frantic swearing. What else can a child take away from here, except hatred of science? Erasmus' protest against cruelty to children was the greatest act of humanism, marking the beginning of the search for forms of education that exclude violence. Erasmus was one of the first to speak about public education proper, and the proclamation of the attitude to work as a criterion of morality put him among the most progressive thinkers of that era.

Organization of education and training

Education is the end, education is the means. The main thing in upbringing is the right education. Correctly delivered education is classical, which is based on the Latin and ancient Greek languages ​​and ancient culture. The child should be given an early scientific education. You need to start at 3 years old.

Teach first languages ​​to which a small child is very receptive. You have to learn by playing. Erasmus suggests various games for learning to read and write, but warns that the games should not be overly complex. When teaching children, special attention should be paid to memory training, since all the further success of the child in learning depends on it. He demanded to take into account his own activity and the activity of the child. In the learning process, the child and the educator should treat each other with love, because "the first step in learning is love for the teacher."

Erasmus rediscovered for the world such a phenomenon as the world of a child, the world of childhood. Many of the pedagogical views of Erasmus were innovative for their time and retain their significance to this day. His humanistic ideas had a great influence on the theory and practice of pedagogy.

Compositions

• "Praise of Stupidity"
• "Conversations are easy"
• "The dung beetle chases the eagle"
• "The Education of a Christian Sovereign"
• “The complaint of the world, expelled from everywhere and crushed everywhere”
• "Diatribe or Discourse on Free Will"
• "On the decency of children's morals"

Editions in Russian

• Rotterdam Erasmus. Eulogy Nonsense / Per. and comment. P. K. Huber. - M.-L.: Academia, 1931. - 240 p. - (Treasures of world literature). - 5300 copies.
• Erasmus of Rotterdam. Praise for stupidity. Home conversations / Per. and comment. P. K. Huber and M. M. Pokrovsky. - M.: Goslitizdat, 1938. - 600 p.
• Sebastian Brant. Ship of fools. Erasmus of Rotterdam. Praise stupidity. The dung beetle chases the eagle. Conversations are easy. [Unknown author] . Letters from dark people. Ulrich von Hutten. Dialogues / Per. with him. and Latin. - M.: Fiction, 1971. - 768 p. - (Library world literature). - 300,000 copies.
• Erasmus of Rotterdam. Poems. John Secundus. Kisses / Ed. preparation M. L. Gasparov, S. V. Shervinsky, Yu. F. Shults. - M.: Nauka, 1983. - 320 p. -( Literary monuments). - 100,000 copies.
• Erasmus of Rotterdam. Philosophical works/ Per. and comment. Yu. M. Kagan. - M.: Nauka, 1986. - 704 p. - (Monuments philosophical thought). - 100,000 copies.

Many have heard at least a glimpse of the name of the greatest scientist of the Renaissance - Erasmus of Rotterdam. He was far ahead of his time, possessed unique knowledge in the field of philosophy and mythology, political science and sociology. He was born in the Dutch city of Gouda, and died in Switzerland, in Basel, during his life he visited dozens of countries and cities, drawing everywhere from the source of knowledge.

But wherever he was and whatever he studied, the real place of his dwelling was - Antiquity. He was fluent in ancient Greek and Latin. When he was offered to lecture at one of the English universities, he chose Cambridge and lectured on theology based on the real texts of the Old and New Testaments. For that time, this was surprising, since there were many transcriptions and interpretations of all biblical texts.

short biography

The biography of the philosopher is very interesting and instructive. He was born in 1469 and was illegitimate, it is believed that a certain Catholic priest sinned with his maid and from this connection the future philosopher was born. This state from the very infancy blocked his path to the wide world, in addition, he was born into an extremely poor family. If we recall the attitude towards illegitimate children at that time, it will immediately become clear that nothing good awaited such a child. And the only thing left for young man- this is the path to God, to the monastery.

After the plague of 1485, during which his mother died, Erasmus and his brother Peter came to the city of Gouda to see their father, but after his imminent death, the young men ended up in a family of distant relatives. Relatives insisted on the entry of young people into the monastery, and Erasmus entered the Augustinian monastery as a novice, where he soon received tonsure (the Christian rite of becoming a monk or initiation into a spiritual rank).

Thus, the young Erasmus dedicated his life to God. Life in the monastery left him a lot of time to study languages ​​and to study the works of famous theologians and philosophers. Quickly enough, this young man attracted the attention of his brilliant abilities, honed Greek and Latin, excellent manners and abilities for logic and rhetoric.

His sermons did not go unnoticed, and soon he received powerful patrons. With their help, he was able to visit all major cities Europe, where he improved in philosophy and theology.

Traveling through the cities of England, Erasmus of Rotterdam met and became friends with many humanist philosophers, especially close friends with Thomas More, the author famous book"Utopia", which tells about the non-existent island of Utopia, where people live in harmony and happiness, having built a new perfect world.

In 1499, after returning from the United Kingdom, the philosopher travels to European cities: Paris, Vienna, Orleans, Rotterdam. In 1505-1506, he was able to visit the cities of Italy, which he had long dreamed of.

The oldest university in Turin awarded Erasmus with an honorary doctorate in philosophy and theology. The Pope, as a sign of special favor, allowed to wear secular clothes of the country in which he is in this moment located. It was at this time that the most famous and popular book- satire "Praise of stupidity."

In 1513 Erasmus visited Germany, in 1515 in last time visited England, a country that he loved very much and in which he spent many happy hours to good use.

Returning to Europe, the philosopher settled in Spain, as the king of Spain, the future emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, Charles 1, offered him the position of court adviser. This allowed the scientist to lead a fairly free lifestyle, without thinking about their daily bread.

The smart king did not at all require his adviser to be constantly present in the palace, and the philosopher did not change his passion for travel and visited many more European cities: Vienna, Brussels, Antwerp and others.

Only at the end of his life did Erasmus settle in Basel, where he lived a rather secluded life and died in 1536 at the age of sixty-seven.

Philosophical doctrine

According to the philosopher himself, some of his works, which brought unprecedented popularity, were written “from nothing to do” in moments of rest. For example, his most famous book, Praise of Stupidity, was published more than forty times during the author's lifetime.

The author believed that this book would be eternal, since human stupidity is eternal. Even the wisest of people sometimes does stupid things, so stupidity can be considered the engine of progress. The book is a mild satire, sometimes sarcasm breaks through, and sometimes we see irony.

The philosopher wisely, but not without a smile, proves that all the troubles of mankind come from human stupidity. Of course, it is quite difficult for a modern reader to read and understand this work because of the huge number of historical names and events, as well as the theological sophistry that fills the novel, but having understood the ideas of Erasmus, you involuntarily smile, agreeing with the great humanist living in the distant 15th century.

One of the first books "The Dagger of the Christian Warrior" - for the author himself served as a model of behavior true christian. According to the philosopher, a true Christian must cherish and defend his values ​​day after day, fight for them by any means and reject all temptations.

Erasmus, following Luther, believed that it was necessary to simplify Christian rituals, turn to the teachings of the early Christians and understand exactly what values ​​made them firmly endure any torment and even go to execution for their faith.

Only strict moral rules, established by Jesus Christ himself, can serve as a model for the behavior of a true Catholic. The main goal of a Christian is to help his neighbor and realize the ideas of the Lord, since they were written in teaching, without distortion and scholasticism.

The main ideas of the philosophy of Erasmus of Rotterdam

It is interesting that the quotes and aphorisms of the great humanist and philosopher are relevant in our time.

“Give light, and darkness will disappear by itself” - how many philosophers and poets, both before and after him, compared education with light and made it clear that only the light of reason is able to defeat universal stupidity.

“Nothing is impossible for a person who has a strong will” - the philosopher confirmed this statement with his whole life, since in one of the first books he already established the rules of conduct for a true Christian and followed his precepts until the end of his life.

"Language - best helper to establish good neighborly relations”, Erasmus believed that people with reason and moral principles, can and should do without violence and be able to negotiate.

“Happiness consists mainly in putting up with own destiny and learn to be satisfied with that what is” is the greatest thought diligently cultivated by many philosophers in many countries. A person can be happy own will, for this he must learn to enjoy what he has and be content with his present position. No wealth and nobility will give real happiness if there is no peace and purpose in life in the soul.

Since Erasmus studied the works of the authors of antiquity and was well acquainted with their philosophy, his views on ethics were somewhat different from those generally accepted at that time. The Italian philosophers of the Renaissance believed that every person can be the center of the universe, but for this he must become like his Lord - Jesus, understand and accept his teaching with all his soul and literally fulfill His commandments.

But the contemporaries of the philosopher, in his own opinion, are far from perfect, and even the Church and the State support the unrighteous path of their parishioners. In his religious views, the philosopher bizarrely combined the Christian teaching and the vision of the ancient authors of a universal religion capable of satisfying all spiritual needs.

Eden, according to Erasmus of Rotterdam, resembles the Republic described by Plato and Aristotle in their writings. The philosopher believes that the canonical church, in its constant thirst for profit, has taken away the purity of thoughts from Christians. Now the main thing that is necessary for a true believer is to achieve spiritual purification, to renounce false values and follow Christ with your heart and faithfully keep the commandments of the Lord.

It must be said that not only Catholic clergymen disagreed with the theories of the philosopher, but also Protestants believed that the scientist simplifies theology too much and gives more freedom to the person himself, as the master of his own destiny.

The doctrine of pedagogy

The teachings of Erasmus of Rotterdam are built on Christian "humanism", which teaches to love and respect all people without exception. The main postulates of pedagogy are as follows:

• A person is born without moral principles and only in the process of education receives the concept of good and evil,
• Only the mind is the main driving force any person,
• Since everyone has the will and freedom of choice, everyone is responsible for their actions,
• Since everyone has reason and free will, the world may well exist without wars and violence.

In the Middle Ages, very little was said about the special world of the child and his needs. The philosopher, after a long break (since antiquity), spoke about the fact that the child needs proper education, which should be carried out by reasonable parents and properly selected teachers.

In the process of education, it is necessary to take into account:

• The age and physiological characteristics of each child and not require anything that exceeds his strength,
• The tendencies and abilities of each child. A good teacher should be able to recognize tendencies that are in their infancy and skillfully develop them.

The philosopher's doctrine of pedagogy was extremely new and revolutionary for his time. But his views on education have not lost their relevance to this day.

Under the pseudonym Erasmus of Rotterdam, as well as Desiderius, Gerhard Gerhards is known - a Dutch scientist, humanist, the largest figure of the northern Renaissance, a man who received the nickname "Prince of the Humanists", a philologist, theologian, writer. He was credited with preparing the first annotated edition of the original New Testament. It was from him that attempts began to study the texts of sacred scriptures as an object of critical research.

Erasmus was born on October 28, 1469 in Gouda near Rotterdam, he was the illegitimate son of a priest. After attending the local elementary school, he continued his education at Nertogenbosch, a school run by the Common Life Brothers. The status of an illegitimate child and character traits led him to the decision to link his fate with the monastery. In 1492 he really took the priesthood in the Augustinian monastery.

Several years spent by Erasmus in the monastery were not in vain for him. Monastic life left the inquisitive monk a lot of free time, which he could use to read his favorite authors and to improve in Latin and Greek. The gifted young monk, who drew attention to himself with outstanding knowledge, a brilliant mind and an extraordinary art of mastering elegant Latin speech, soon found himself influential patrons.

Thanks to them, Erasmus could leave the monastery, give scope to his longstanding inclinations to humanistic science and visit all the main centers of humanism of that time.

First of all, Erasmus of Rotterdam ended up in Cambrai, then in Paris. Here he published the first major work - "Adagio", a collection of sayings and anecdotes of various ancient writers. This book made his name famous.

During his travels in England, Rotterdam became friends with many humanists, especially with Thomas More, the author of Utopia. Returning from England in 1499, he led a nomadic life for some time: Paris, Orleans, Rotterdam. After a new trip to England in 1505-1506, Erasmus finally got the opportunity to visit Italy, where his humanistic soul had long attracted.

The University of Turin presented him with a diploma for the title of honorary doctor of theology; The pope, as a sign of his special favor to Erasmus, gave him permission to lead a lifestyle and dress in accordance with the customs of each country where he had to live.
During the next trip, the famous satire "Praise of Stupidity" was written. Oxford and Cambridge universities offered him a professorship.

Erasmus of Rotterdam chose Cambridge, where for several years he taught Greek as one of the rare experts in this language at that time, and also read theological courses, which he based on the original text of the New Testament and the works of the Church Fathers.

In 1513 Erasmus of Rotterdam went to Germany, and in 1515 he returned to England again. The following year, he again migrated to the continent, now forever.

Erasmus found himself a powerful philanthropist in the person of King Charles 1 of Spain (the future Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire Charles V of Habsburg), who granted him the rank of royal adviser, not associated with any real functions, even with the obligation to stay at court. This created a secure position for Erasmus of Rotterdam and made it possible to devote himself entirely to scientific pursuits. He continued to roam: Brussels, Antwerp, Freiburg, Basel. Only in the last years of his life, Erasmus of Rotterdam settled in Basel, where he died on the night of July 11-12, 1536.

Erasmus of Rotterdam was born in Holland in 1469. He was the illegitimate son of a maid and a priest who died very early. He received his first education in 1478-1485 at the Latin school in Deventer, where teachers were guided by the internal self-improvement of a person through the imitation of Christ.

At the age of 18, Erasmus of Rotterdam, at the behest of his guardians, was forced to go to a monastery, where he spent six years among the novices. This life was not to his liking, and he eventually ran away.

Erasmus of Rotterdam, whose biography has been rewritten thousands of times, was an interesting personality. The writings of Lorenzo Villa, like other Italians, made a great impression on him. As a result, Erasmus began to actively support the humanist movement, which sought to revive the ancient ideals of beauty, truth, virtue and perfection.

Erasmus of Rotterdam received further education in Paris between 1492 and 1499. He was listed in the theological faculty, but was engaged in the study. In 1499, Erasmus moved to England. There he was admitted to the Oxford Circle of Humanists. Here he formed his philosophical and ethical system. In 1521-1529 Erasmus lived in Basel. Here he formed a circle of humanists. In addition, he traveled a lot and was interested in the culture of different peoples.

The main questions that Erasmus of Rotterdam was interested in were philology, ethics and religion. He studied and published the works of early Christian writers and ancient authors. Erasmus created and developed various methods of interpretation and criticism. Great importance has his translation of the New Testament. By correcting and interpreting Christian sources, he hoped to renew theology. However, contrary to his intentions, he gave rise to rationalist criticism of the Bible.

Even Erasmus of Rotterdam himself did not expect such results.

His philosophy was quite simple and accessible to anyone. He considered the basis of piety divine origin which lies in the spiritual and moral life and the earthly world.

He called his views "the philosophy of Christ" - this meant that everyone should consciously follow high morality, the laws of piety, as if imitating Christ.

He considered all the best to be a manifestation of the divine spirit. Thanks to this, Erasmus was able to find examples of piety in different religions, among different peoples.

The work of Erasmus of Rotterdam had a huge impact on the culture of Europe.

He can be called the intellectual leader of Europe at that time.

Erasmus Rotterdam report for grade 7 briefly about the Dutch scientist, humanist, theologian, writer is described in this article.

"Erasmus of Rotterdam" short message

Erasmus of Rotterdam- is the largest figure in the northern Renaissance and for his merits rightfully received the nickname "prince of the humanists." The scientist was the first who began to study the texts of scriptures from a scientific-critical point of view.

The future thinker was born on October 28, 1469 in the town of Gouda, near Rotterdam. He was the illegitimate son of a priest and his maid. At birth, he was named Gergard. At first, the boy studied at a local school, after which he continued his studies in Nertogenbosch, the Brothers of Common Life community.

At the age of 13, he lost his parents. And because of his status as “illegitimate”, he decides to retire to a monastery. He decides to become a priest of the Augustinian monastery.

Rotterdam had excellent intellectual abilities, a wide range of knowledge, and knew Latin thoroughly. This knowledge attracted influential people to him, and thanks to them, Erasmus leaves the walls of the monastery. He was hired by the Bishop of Cambrai as secretary. The patron in 1495 sends the former priest to the University of Paris to study theology. For several years Rotterdam lived in France, and in 1499 he visited England, where he lectured at Oxford University.

The views of Erasmus of Rotterdam were reflected in his works. The first significant work was called "Adagia", which was published in 1500. The scientist combined and connected the ideas of early Christianity and antiquity. By the way, "Adagia" brought him world fame. He did not live in one place for a long time, but traveled mainly around the cities of France.

In 1504, the book "Weapons of the Christian Warrior" was published, in which the author laid the foundations of his heavenly philosophy. Although he was a Catholic, Erasmus is the forerunner of the Reformation.

After another trip to England, the fate of Erasmus of Rotterdam brings him to Italy in 1505. Here he lived for 2 years, receiving a doctorate in theology from the University of Turin. The humanist made his third trip to England, which was marked by the writing of his outstanding satirical work— "Praise stupidity." The pamphlet was published in 1509, and from that moment Erasmus of Rotterdam became one of the most respected theologians. For a long time scientist taught at the University of Cambridge.

In 1513, the theologian leaves for Germany for 2 years, traveling around its cities. But in 1515 he returned to his beloved England again. The Holy Roman Emperor, Charles of Spain, made him an advisor to the king.

• Erasmus was reputed to be gentle, subtle, easily vulnerable, in need of harmony and friendship, who hated strife. He quickly and easily found mutual language with different people. But, at the same time, the theologian was touchy, vindictive, distrustful, quarrelsome. Closer to old age, these qualities have become simply manic.
• He was in poor health. He was lucky to be cured of gout and kidney disease by the most famous healer of that period - Paracelsus.
• Erasmus did not attach much importance to what nationality a person belongs to.
• He was friends with Thomas More, liked to argue with them.
• He lived most of his life in England.

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