Francesco Petrarca’s ascent of Mount Ventoux

TODAY IN PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY: Francesco Petrarca’s ascent of Mount Ventoux

On Thursday 26 April 1336—688 years ago today—the Italian poet Petrarch climbed Mount Ventoux, and, when he returned from his hike, he wrote a letter about it to his father that is still extant. Petrarch’s ascent of Mount Ventoux has been described as the first modern instance of climbing a mountain simply to enjoy the view, and Petrarch himself has been called the first modern man. Both the claim that Petrarch was modern and that he was not at all modern have been made, and both claims have been disputed. So was Petrarch already modern in the early 14th century, or was he still a thoroughly medieval man?

Quora: https://philosophyofhistory.quora.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/r3dudQvGxD
Links: https://jnnielsen.carrd.co/
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/dMh0_-/
Video: https://youtu.be/u93Qryg5u5A
Podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/nick-nielsen94/episodes/Francesco-Petrarcas-ascent-of-Mount-Ventoux-e2iuksq