Giovanni Pico della Mirandola

Born in Italy in 1463, philosopher  authored the influential Oration on the Dignity of Man, one of the most famous of Renaissance texts. In his writings, he was the first to support the idea of Christian theology; biblical exegesis, rational analysis, and argument in the study of Christianity. Oration text emphasizes human attention and perspective as the center of the human search for knowledge. Thus he philosophized that man's ability to theorize and the nature of free-will contributes to man's stride towards the angels and communication with God; when people fail to exercise their intellect they vegetate towards the earthly nature, away from God.

Undoubtedly, this idea that men could "ascend" by the choice of their being through exercise of their intellectual capabilities was a realization of one's "earthly" way of life. As well as the endorsement of earthly ways, such as sex, food, and materialism which furthered from the idealism of angels. This idea also
brought a sense of dignity, in the assertion that only human have the ability and understanding to change themselves through the ability of their own free will; the ability to choose how to act. Furthermore, the ability to make one's choices that are not controlled by fate nor God. Whereas, all other changes in nature were the result of an outside force acting on outgoing change, humans have the ability to choose their fat and thus, Mirandola argued that people should choose to be more angelic because of their natural intellect rather than
fall into earthy beings, ultimately condemned with sin. This becomes parallel with his belief that all of creation resembles a symbolic reflection of the divinity of God. Furthermore, in the Gread Ordin of Being Pico claims that man sits in the middle; and claims that man is unique because of free-will. Thus, should strive to emulate angels.

Pico writes that after God created all creatures, he conceived the honor of sentiment for the great works. Thus, man was created to resemble the angelic chain in harmony; striving through philosophizes towards the angels, and God himself.

Parallel with his belief that all creation strives towards a symbolic reflection of the divinity of God, Pico's philosophies not only had a great influence on religion, but also an major significance on the medieval arts; elevating artists and many writers from their roles as artisans to geniuses; the very core of what contributed to the Renaissance.