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The return of the polymath?

Are Polymaths making a comeback?

  • In what respect? I'd suggest a few examples, perhaps from popular culture or books that you've read etc, to back up your suggestion, otherwise all you have at the moment is a generic question. This could make for an interesting topic though. – Amyus 6 years ago
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  • The title piqued my interested as I have been reading about Leibniz in my Modern philosophy class. Leibniz was a philosopher, librarian, mathematician, diplomat, and scientist. Author Matthew Stewart called Leibniz, "the last of the polymaths" in his book 'The Courtier and the Heretic'. So as far as I know, a polymath is a person who dabbles in multiple fields, though a google search reveals a wider definition as it simply states ' a person with a wide range of knowledge or learning'. Stewart's definition implies more, a proficiency in multiple disciplines. Our current age is an age of specialized knowledge and the economy of efficiencies it produces, hence the reasoning that the polymath is dead. With the expansion of knowledge, it it possible to be a polymath and still support oneself in society? I'd suggest taking a look at some of the modern philosophers. – BeyondKanji 6 years ago
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  • I think it's a potentially topic, but why does it matter that Polymaths have or haven't made a comeback? Will they have a positive or negative effect society? – Jiraiyan 6 years ago
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  • Polymath as in the term "Renaissance Man." Periodically that term is used in movies, say James Bond knowing the track conditions at Saratoga Race Track, then knowing how to reprogram a missile, and finally knowing best how to serve Sake. I'm not sure the notion of the well-rounded scholar or knowledgable person has ever disappeared. This just needs development. – Joseph Cernik 5 years ago
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