Recovering Humanism: Renaissance Perspectives on the Human Psyche
Ended Jul 29, 2026
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Full course description
Recovering Humanism: Renaissance Perspectives on the Human psyche
takes Place Every other Wednesday in June and July: 6/3, 6/17, 7/1, 7/15, & 7/29
Virtually from 7:00pm-8:30pm
Presenter:
Matthew Clemente is the Director of Research & Curriculum at Center for
Psychological Humanities & Ethics and an Assistant Professor of the
Practice in the Department of Formative Education at Boston College.
He is the Coeditor in Chief of the Journal for Continental Philosophy of
Religion and the Codirector of the Guestbook Project, a 501c3 non-profit.
He is the Series Editor of two book series with Routledge/Taylor &
Francis and has authored or edited over a dozen books.
Description:
The foundations of psychological science and the conceptions of
personhood still resonant within the field today, can arguably be traced
back to the humanistic tradition that arose during the Renaissance and
transformed the artistic, cultural, and educational landscape of the time.
Engaging with works of philosophy and philosophical anthropology from
that period can thus reignite an appreciation for the deeper intellectual
currents that gave rise to psychology and psychotherapeutic care.
Participants in this 5-session Psychological Humanities and Ethics
workshop will meet every other Wednesday from 7 to 830 pm EST in the
months of June and July. Reading the majors theoretical works of the
Renaissance not in the classical sense but as forerunners to modern
psychology, participants will trace the genesis of such fundamental
psychological concepts as identity, personhood, subjectivity, and humor.
By the end of this course, participants will have an in-depth knowledge of
the major works and ideas of one of most philosophical rich and
psychologically influential epochs in western thought.
Learning Objectives
June 3rd – On the Dignity of Man
(1) Describe Della Mirandola’s notion of personhood and how it has
influenced contemporary understandings of the self.
(2) Explain what Della Mirandola means by “dignity” and where it
comes from.
(3) Explain the clinical implications of such a definition of dignity.
June 17th – Utopia
(1) Identify the major cultural critiques that operate just beneath the
surface of More’s great text.
(2) Explain how those critiques are still relevant to subjects living in the
modern era.
(3) Explain how politics and culture, according to More, shape the self
and our understanding of one another.
July 1st – The Prince
(1) Compare Machiavelli’s political and sociological insights to the
ideas we grappled with in More’s Utopia.
(2) Explain how Machiavelli’s understanding of the political subject still
informs contemporary discourse.
(3) Assess how power dynamics within a given cultural impact the
cultivation of a self.
July 15th – The Praise of Folly
(1) Explain Erasmus’ notion of folly and why he valorizes it.
(2) Describe the role of humor in psychological discourse.
(3) Assess how Erasmus’ satire contrasts with the more earnest works
we have read to this point.
July 29th – The Praise of Folly
(1) Compare Erasmus’ understanding of humor with Freud’s ideas on
how jokes function within psychotherapeutic settings.
(2) Compare the “wisdom of folly” with current psychological
conceptions of symptoms expressing deeper truths.
(3) Apply Erasmus insights to practical settings and discuss how humor
can be utilized as a tool for psychotherapeutic care.
Timeline and Requirements:
This course takes place every other Wednesday in June and July: 6/3, 6/17, 7/1, 7/15 and 7/29/. This coure will be held virtually over zoom.
CE Sponsorship:
This lecture does not offer CEs for other clinicians not listed below, and we only grant CEs for synchronous attendance of events. Participants must attend the workshop in full and complete the post event survey to be eligible to receive CEs.
University Counseling Services of Boston College is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. As a co-sponsor of this program, University Counseling Services of Boston College maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Participants will be eligible to receive 7.5 CE units from University Counseling Services of Boston College.
Application for social work continuing education credits has been submitted. Please contact us at psychumanities@bc.edu for the status of social work CE accreditation.
The Center for Psychological Humanities and Ethics is providing sponsorship for CEUs for Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHC). This program has been approved by MaMHCA/MCEAP for 7.5 CEs.
Fees and Policies:
Payment is due by credit card at registration. Refunds will be granted only up until registration closes at 7am on June 3rd. No refunds will be granted for errors on the participant's part (such as incorrect name/email upon registration, login failure, scheduling conflicts, etc.).
We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals to engage fully. If you need to request an accommodation or ask a question about accessibility, please contact wcas.cece@bc.edu.
Additional offerings from the Woods College Office of Continuing Education and Community Engagement can be found on our website.