Rediscovering Virtue the Renaissance Way
- Apr 1
- 1 min read
It’s one of the oldest debates in political philosophy: Do good laws make good men, or do good men make good laws? Minds have been wrestling with this question since the days of Petrarch and Machiavelli, but both sides may have insights that can inform modern political philosophy.
James Hankins and Greg LaBlanc discuss Renaissance humanism, sparked by Petrarch’s response to 14th‑century crises, and explore humanist education focused on virtue, rhetoric, and moral philosophy. They also delve into Machiavelli’s critiques and pushback against humanism, how Chinese Confucianism compares with the West’s legal system, and why Hankins believes virtue should be brought back into modern education.