Introduction

Humanism, in its broadest sense, is a system of beliefs which focuses on human values, interests, and dignity (Law, 2011). Early humanists of the classical Greek era put aside explanations based on religious beliefs and developed their own ideas and theories based on observation and reason (Law, 2011).

The humanist movement of the Renaissance, spawned by a renewed interest in the study and imitation of the classical culture of ancient Rome and Greece caused a great shift in European communication (Law, 2011). Improved education brought about by new humanist curriculums increased European literacy rates, thus allowing a shift from the dialect and image-heavy communication of the Middle Ages (King, 2003). New interest in Greek teachings caused a rise in Greek literacy, which in turn, unlocked a greater range of available intellectual materials (King, 2003). Perhaps most impressively, humanist education stimulated the development of print technology (King, 2003). This sped up the distribution of written publications, which reshaped the era’s societal structure with the creation of center margins (McLuhan, 1995).

(Image source: http://www.shsu.edu/~his_ncp/Venice.jpg)