“Man possesses a unifying principle in the fact that he is molded to the same figure and form and endowed with the same power of speech.\u00a0 Whereas beasts differ in the variety of their shapes, man is identical with fellow man in possessing speech and reason.\u00a0 His ability to speak enables him above all to cultivate friendship.\u00a0 We find in him the seeds of all virtue, a ready disposition toward mutual benevolence, and a delight in helping others.\u00a0 Yet he appears to have been corrupted and to be prone to fall to the very level of beasts.”<\/p>\n
Desiderius Erasmus, The Complaint of Peace<\/em> in The Essential Erasmus<\/em>, trans. John P. Dolan (New York 1964), p. 179.<\/p>\n Following Cicero and the Western tradition, Erasmus understands that human beings possess reason and language.\u00a0 These allow human beings to become true friends, cultivate virtue, and act generously toward others.\u00a0 Alas, Erasmus laments that corruption has led many human beings to act like beasts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" “Man possesses a unifying principle in the fact that he is molded to the same figure and form and endowed with the same power of speech.\u00a0 Whereas beasts differ in the variety of their shapes, man is identical with fellow … Continue reading