[Script Info] Title: [Events] Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text Dialogue: 0,0:00:15.53,0:00:17.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This image of the Vitruvian Man, Dialogue: 0,0:00:17.07,0:00:18.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,taken from Leonardo's sketches, Dialogue: 0,0:00:18.33,0:00:20.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,has become one of the most recognizable Dialogue: 0,0:00:20.21,0:00:21.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,symbols of the Renaissance. Dialogue: 0,0:00:21.65,0:00:22.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But why? Dialogue: 0,0:00:22.74,0:00:24.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's a simple pen and ink drawing, right? Dialogue: 0,0:00:24.72,0:00:25.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Wrong! Dialogue: 0,0:00:26.00,0:00:27.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Let's start to answer this question Dialogue: 0,0:00:27.40,0:00:28.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with a math problem. Dialogue: 0,0:00:28.63,0:00:30.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I know how to calculate\Nthe area of a circle. Dialogue: 0,0:00:30.80,0:00:32.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I take the value for pi Dialogue: 0,0:00:32.10,0:00:34.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and multiply it by the radius squared. Dialogue: 0,0:00:34.35,0:00:36.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I also know how to take\Nthe area of a square. Dialogue: 0,0:00:36.56,0:00:39.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I multiply the base by itself. Dialogue: 0,0:00:39.36,0:00:41.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But how can I take the area of a circle Dialogue: 0,0:00:41.41,0:00:43.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and create a square with an equal area? Dialogue: 0,0:00:43.80,0:00:45.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is a problem often\Ncalled "squaring a circle" Dialogue: 0,0:00:45.74,0:00:48.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that was first proposed\Nin the ancient world. Dialogue: 0,0:00:48.05,0:00:49.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And like many of ideas\Nof the ancient world, Dialogue: 0,0:00:49.66,0:00:51.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it was given new life\Nduring the Renaissance. Dialogue: 0,0:00:51.89,0:00:53.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As it turns out, Dialogue: 0,0:00:53.08,0:00:54.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this problem is impossible to solve Dialogue: 0,0:00:54.47,0:00:56.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because of the nature of pi, Dialogue: 0,0:00:56.09,0:00:57.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but that's another story. Dialogue: 0,0:00:57.91,0:00:58.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Leonardo's sketch, Dialogue: 0,0:00:58.63,0:00:59.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is influenced by the writings Dialogue: 0,0:00:59.88,0:01:01.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of the Roman architect, Vitruvius, Dialogue: 0,0:01:01.90,0:01:03.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,places a man firmly at the center Dialogue: 0,0:01:03.51,0:01:05.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of a circle and a square. Dialogue: 0,0:01:05.51,0:01:06.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Vitruvius claimed the navel Dialogue: 0,0:01:06.84,0:01:08.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is the center of the human body Dialogue: 0,0:01:08.10,0:01:09.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that if one takes a compass Dialogue: 0,0:01:09.63,0:01:11.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and places the fixed point on the navel, Dialogue: 0,0:01:11.56,0:01:13.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a circle can be drawn\Nperfectly around the body. Dialogue: 0,0:01:14.02,0:01:15.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Additionally, Vitruvius recognized Dialogue: 0,0:01:16.00,0:01:17.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that arm span and height Dialogue: 0,0:01:17.11,0:01:19.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,have a nearly perfect\Ncorrespondence in the human body, Dialogue: 0,0:01:19.75,0:01:22.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,thus placing the body perfectly\Ninside a square as well. Dialogue: 0,0:01:22.86,0:01:24.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Leonardo used the ideas of Vitruvius Dialogue: 0,0:01:24.23,0:01:27.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to solve the problem of squaring\Na circle metaphorically Dialogue: 0,0:01:27.03,0:01:29.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,using mankind as the area for both shapes. Dialogue: 0,0:01:29.74,0:01:32.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Leonardo wasn't just thinking\Nabout Vitruvius, though. Dialogue: 0,0:01:32.61,0:01:33.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There was an intellectual movement Dialogue: 0,0:01:33.82,0:01:34.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in Italy at the time Dialogue: 0,0:01:34.91,0:01:36.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,called Neoplatonism. Dialogue: 0,0:01:36.32,0:01:37.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This movement took an old concept Dialogue: 0,0:01:37.74,0:01:40.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from the 4th century developed\Nby Plato and Aristotle, Dialogue: 0,0:01:40.44,0:01:42.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,called "The Great Chain of Being". Dialogue: 0,0:01:42.28,0:01:44.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This belief holds\Nthat the universe is a hierarchy Dialogue: 0,0:01:44.68,0:01:45.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,resembling a chain, Dialogue: 0,0:01:45.61,0:01:47.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that chain starts at the top with God, Dialogue: 0,0:01:47.78,0:01:49.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then travels down through the angels, Dialogue: 0,0:01:49.74,0:01:50.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,planets, Dialogue: 0,0:01:50.31,0:01:50.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,stars, Dialogue: 0,0:01:50.90,0:01:51.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and all lifeforms Dialogue: 0,0:01:51.98,0:01:54.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,before ending with demons and devils. Dialogue: 0,0:01:54.07,0:01:55.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Early in this philosophic movement, Dialogue: 0,0:01:55.81,0:01:58.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it was thought\Nthat mankind's place in this chain Dialogue: 0,0:01:58.17,0:01:59.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was exactly in the center. Dialogue: 0,0:01:59.53,0:02:01.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because humans have a mortal body Dialogue: 0,0:02:01.23,0:02:03.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,accompanied by an immortal soul, Dialogue: 0,0:02:03.16,0:02:05.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we divide the universe nicely in half. Dialogue: 0,0:02:05.31,0:02:07.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Around the time Leonardo sketched Dialogue: 0,0:02:07.07,0:02:08.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the Vitruvian Man, however, Dialogue: 0,0:02:08.69,0:02:10.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a Neoplatonist named Pico della Mirandola Dialogue: 0,0:02:10.87,0:02:12.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,had a different idea. Dialogue: 0,0:02:12.24,0:02:13.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He pried mankind off the chain Dialogue: 0,0:02:13.81,0:02:15.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and claimed that humans\Nhave a unique ability Dialogue: 0,0:02:15.98,0:02:17.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to take any position they want. Dialogue: 0,0:02:17.64,0:02:19.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Pico claimed that God desired Dialogue: 0,0:02:19.23,0:02:20.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a being capable of comprehending Dialogue: 0,0:02:20.78,0:02:23.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the beautiful and complicated\Nuniverse he had created. Dialogue: 0,0:02:23.57,0:02:25.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This led to the creation of mankind, Dialogue: 0,0:02:25.49,0:02:27.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which he placed at the center\Nof the universe Dialogue: 0,0:02:27.61,0:02:30.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with the ability to take\Nwhatever form he pleases. Dialogue: 0,0:02:30.04,0:02:32.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Mankind, according to Pico, Dialogue: 0,0:02:32.14,0:02:34.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,could crawl down the chain\Nand behave like an animal Dialogue: 0,0:02:34.70,0:02:36.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or crawl up the chain\Nand behave like a god, Dialogue: 0,0:02:36.92,0:02:38.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's our choice. Dialogue: 0,0:02:38.23,0:02:39.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Looking back at the sketch, Dialogue: 0,0:02:39.48,0:02:41.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we can see that by changing\Nthe position of the man, Dialogue: 0,0:02:41.59,0:02:43.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,he can fill the irreconcilable areas Dialogue: 0,0:02:43.33,0:02:44.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of a circle and a square. Dialogue: 0,0:02:45.01,0:02:47.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If geometry is the language\Nthe universe is written in, Dialogue: 0,0:02:47.31,0:02:48.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then this sketch seems to say Dialogue: 0,0:02:48.72,0:02:50.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we can exist within all its elements. Dialogue: 0,0:02:50.52,0:02:52.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Mankind can fill whatever shape Dialogue: 0,0:02:52.06,0:02:53.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,he pleases geometrically Dialogue: 0,0:02:53.35,0:02:55.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and philosophically as well. Dialogue: 0,0:02:55.27,0:02:56.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In this one sketch, Dialogue: 0,0:02:56.35,0:02:57.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Leondardo was able to combine Dialogue: 0,0:02:57.64,0:02:58.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the mathematics, Dialogue: 0,0:02:58.45,0:02:59.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,religion, Dialogue: 0,0:02:59.13,0:02:59.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,philosophy, Dialogue: 0,0:02:59.94,0:03:00.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,architecture, Dialogue: 0,0:03:00.80,0:03:02.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and artistic skill of his age. Dialogue: 0,0:03:02.53,0:03:04.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,No wonder it has become such an icon Dialogue: 0,0:03:04.27,0:03:06.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for the entire time period.