1. In your own words explain what a humanist is. Montaigne was considered a humanist. What do you see in his writing that supports his classification as a humanist? Explain your examples. A humanist is a person who does away with faith and lives for themselves. They wanted to live their lives without basing it on a religion. They believed that humans needs and wants are more important than the ones of religion. That people should be able to express themselves as individuals not as part of a group. Montaigne makes this clear in his essay “Of Cannibals” with praising some of the practices these cannibals do. They aren’t greedy for more land or possessions and when in battle the only thing they want is the glory of winning. He makes it known
…show more content…
Their practice of eating the dead bodies to him is better than torturing them while alive and putting them in ground to rot. He seems to appreciate the fact they don’t take more than they need from mother nature. They also fight for glory not for land or riches. They also have a different view on marriage. It is seen as better for their men to have more wives and is promoted by the women they are married too. Unlike, in Western culture were the women would be jealous and infuriated at the thought of this. At the end, he talks about some points they make when seeing Western culture. One of them is why do the poor stay poor. They find it odd that the poor don’t fight back and take what they need. They are so different to Westerners that to each other they seem barbaric and strange.
4. In the essay “On the Inconsistency of Our Actions,” Montaigne tells readers that they must "probe the inside and discover what springs set men in motion,” but then says this “is an arduous and hazardous undertaking” and wishes that “fewer people would meddle with it.” What does Montaigne want his readers to do and what is the danger if they do it? He seems to contradict himself at the end of statement by saying he wished fewer people would meddle. Why does he say this at the
Their practice of eating the dead bodies to him is better than torturing them while alive and putting them in ground to rot. He seems to appreciate the fact they don’t take more than they need from mother nature. They also fight for glory not for land or riches. They also have a different view on marriage. It is seen as better for their men to have more wives and is promoted by the women they are married too. Unlike, in Western culture were the women would be jealous and infuriated at the thought of this. At the end, he talks about some points they make when seeing Western culture. One of them is why do the poor stay poor. They find it odd that the poor don’t fight back and take what they need. They are so different to Westerners that to each other they seem barbaric and strange.
4. In the essay “On the Inconsistency of Our Actions,” Montaigne tells readers that they must "probe the inside and discover what springs set men in motion,” but then says this “is an arduous and hazardous undertaking” and wishes that “fewer people would meddle with it.” What does Montaigne want his readers to do and what is the danger if they do it? He seems to contradict himself at the end of statement by saying he wished fewer people would meddle. Why does he say this at the