4.0681 Ficino -- Renaissance & Reformation Studies (1/83)
Elaine Brennan & Allen Renear (EDITORS@BROWNVM.BITNET)
Sat, 3 Nov 90 10:54:29 EST
Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 4, No. 0681. Saturday, 3 Nov 1990.
Date: Fri, 02 Nov 90 08:19:16 EST
From: Willard McCarty <EDITOR@vm.epas.utoronto.ca>
Subject: An invitation to join Ficino
Ficino: an electronic seminar and bulletin-board
for Renaissance and Reformation studies
The Centre for Reformation and Renaissance Studies,
Victoria University in the University of Toronto, invites you
to join Ficino, an electronic seminar and bulletin-board devoted
to all aspects of the Renaissance and Reformation. The aim of
Ficino is to further lively discussion and rapid exchange of
information amongst scholars with an interest in its subject areas.
It form and style Ficino is much like Humanist, although its focus
is quite different.
Although devoted to specific areas, Ficino is meant to be
radically inclusive as well. Students of both Northern and Southern
European cultures are equally welcome, as are those in distant or
adjacent periods who wish to contribute their knowledge and
skills to the subject matter of the seminar. All approaches and
disciplines are equally relevant, but Ficino particularly
encourages the interdisciplinary breadth of learning appropriate
to Renaissance humanism.
Membership is open to anyone who submits a biographical
statement of background and interests. A form for this purpose
is appended below.
Ficino has been named after the great Florentine Platonist, man
of letters and prolific letter-writer, in order to suggest not only
the historical period on which it focuses but also its intended
manner. As you know, Ficino himself was preoccupied by
intellectual communication, the ideal form of which he found in the
Platonic convivium. Thus he wrote to Bernardo Bembo that,
`The convivium ... rebuilds limbs, revives humours, restores spirit,
delights senses, fosters and awakens reason. The convivium is rest
from labours, release from cares and nourishment of genius; it is
the demonstration of love and splendour, the food of good will, the
seasoning of friendship, the leavening of grace and the solace of
life.' Our seminar is designed to provide an electronic analogue of
Ficino's ideal institution; experience suggests that the new medium
holds great promise for our success.
Ficino also uses software to provide a kind of `bulletin-board' or
fileserver for various materials of a less dynamic nature. Currently
the fileserver contains several items of interest, e.g. the International
Directory of Renaissance and Reformation Associations and Institutes
(Toronto: CRRS, 1990); bibliographies; calls for papers, announcements
for conferences and projects; information about relevant software; and
brochures that describe various centres and institutes and their
projects. Plans are to make primary texts available in electronic form
as well as the Occasional Publications of the CRRS. The editor warmly
encourages contributions to the archive from its members.
The biography should follow the format below as closely as
possible.
- - - - - -- - - - Please fill in and mail to the editor
- - - - - (Any long item can be continued on following lines)
*Lastname, Firstname <e-mail address(es)>
Institutional address; home address (optional).
Title:
Professional associations:
Brief biographical statement, ca. 100-500 words, emphasizing
your interests in the Renaissance and/or Reformation.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Thank you.
Willard McCarty, editor
Senior Fellow
Centre for Reformation and Renaissance Studies
Editor@VM.EPAS.UToronto.CA
William Bowen, associate editor
Chair, Publications Committee
Centre for Reformation and Renaissance Studies
Bowen@VM.EPAS.UToronto.CA