Erudition

The word Erudition came into Middle English from Latin. A scholar is erudite (Latin eruditus) when instruction and reading followed by digestion and contemplation have effaced all rudeness ("e- (ex-) + rudis"), that is to say smoothed away all raw, untrained incivility. Erudition is the depth, polish and breadth that is applied to education from further readings and understanding of literary works. The Latin word educare means to "lead out" from ignorance; hence the educated person has been led to think critically and with deductive logic. The erudite person has additionally become familiar with some more arcane information, has a deeper familiarity with the literature on the subject and a broader intellectual horizon.

Related Topics:
Middle English - Latin - Education - Reading - Deductive - Logic

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An erudite person will gain insight on particular subjects directly through books and study, rather than by following a course or scholarship in the subject. The famous Italian poet Giacomo Leopardi was erudite: he read and studied the classics on his own, and was deeply influenced by many philosophers. Among the most erudite of Roman writers was Marcus Terentius Varro. Among the most erudite English essay-writers is Sir Thomas Browne.

Related Topics:
Giacomo Leopardi - Philosopher - Marcus Terentius Varro - Thomas Browne

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A jurist who is learned, knows the law intimately and thoroughly; an erudite jurist by comparison also knows the history of the law in detail, and the law of other cultures.

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Erudition is recognizable and reflected in a literary work since an erudite writer will usually have a general knowledge spanning different fields. When such universal scholars are also at the forefront of several fields they are sometimes called "polymaths", when they are not or are only at the forefront of individual fields (sometimes in a figurehead, or leadership capacity), they are sometimes called "polyhistor"s.

Related Topics:
Polymath - Polyhistor

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