Throughout the late Middle Ages and the early modern period, the Low Countries were home to a vibrant tradition of lay philosophy in Dutch. Sparks of Reason takes a detailed look at this philosophical tradition, with a special focus on the sixteenth century. During this turbulent century, several authors, such as Dirck Volkertsz Coornhert (1522-1590) and Hendrik Laurensz Spiegel (1549-1612), developed a philosophy which was founded on rationality and self-motivation. This "Vernacular Rational...

Both lyrically and visually, Amsterdam born and bred Dirck Volckertsz Coornhert (1522-1590) was a real pioneer. His extensive oeuvre includes the first ethics in a European vernacular, a groundbreaking treatise about the treatment of prisoners, and a unique language guide aimed at both boys and girls. In addition to a great number of prose texts, he also wrote poems, songs, and plays. As a visual artist, Coornhert created hundreds of top-quality engravings, enabling him to also reach an illit...

Iedereen heeft de plicht zichzelf te ontwikkelen tot onafhankelijk denkend mens. Dit kernpunt in het denken van Dirck Volckertsz Coornhert (1522-1590) betekent onder andere dat iedereen toegang moet hebben tot kennis en vorming. Ongeacht afkomst of status. Alleen met goede kennis kun je immers onderscheid maken tussen goed en kwaad, waarheid en leugen, echtheid en schijn. Maar vrije toegang tot kennis en ontwikkeling was in de zestiende eeuw bepaald niet vanzelfsprekend. Bovendien lag het lan...