[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:15.64,0:00:18.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This image of the Vitruvian Man,\Ntaken from Leonardo's sketches,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:18.68,0:00:21.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,has become one of the most recognizable\Nsymbols of the Renaissance.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:21.88,0:00:23.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But why?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:23.12,0:00:25.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's a simple pen and ink drawing, right?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:25.12,0:00:26.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Wrong!
Dialogue: 0,0:00:26.36,0:00:29.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Let's start to answer this question\Nwith a math problem.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:29.04,0:00:31.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I know how to calculate\Nthe area of a circle.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:31.20,0:00:34.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I take the value for pi\Nand multiply it by the radius squared.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:34.40,0:00:36.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I also know how to take\Nthe area of a square.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:36.88,0:00:38.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I multiply the base by itself.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:39.64,0:00:43.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But how can I take the area of a circle\Nand create a square with an equal area?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:43.88,0:00:46.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is a problem\Noften called "squaring a circle"
Dialogue: 0,0:00:46.28,0:00:48.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that was first proposed\Nin the ancient world.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:48.44,0:00:50.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And like many ideas of the ancient world,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:50.44,0:00:52.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it was given new life\Nduring the Renaissance.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:52.60,0:00:55.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As it turns out, this problem\Nis impossible to solve
Dialogue: 0,0:00:55.08,0:00:56.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because of the nature of pi,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:56.48,0:00:57.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but that's another story.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:57.88,0:00:59.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Leonardo's sketch,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:59.12,0:01:02.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is influenced by the writings\Nof the Roman architect, Vitruvius,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:02.44,0:01:05.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,places a man firmly at the center\Nof a circle and a square.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:05.44,0:01:08.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Vitruvius claimed the navel\Nis the center of the human body
Dialogue: 0,0:01:08.48,0:01:11.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that if one takes a compass\Nand places the fixed point on the navel,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:11.92,0:01:14.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a circle can be drawn\Nperfectly around the body.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:14.28,0:01:17.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Additionally, Vitruvius recognized\Nthat arm span and height
Dialogue: 0,0:01:17.28,0:01:19.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,have a nearly perfect correspondence\Nin the human body,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:19.96,0:01:22.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,thus placing the body\Nperfectly inside a square as well.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:22.80,0:01:24.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Leonardo used the ideas of Vitruvius
Dialogue: 0,0:01:24.56,0:01:27.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to solve the problem\Nof squaring a circle metaphorically
Dialogue: 0,0:01:27.24,0:01:29.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,using mankind as the area for both shapes.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:30.04,0:01:32.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Leonardo wasn't just thinking\Nabout Vitruvius, though.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:32.64,0:01:36.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There was an intellectual movement\Nin Italy at the time called Neoplatonism.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:36.44,0:01:39.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This movement took an old concept\Nfrom the 4th century
Dialogue: 0,0:01:39.04,0:01:40.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,developed by Plato and Aristotle,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:40.68,0:01:42.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,called "The Great Chain of Being."
Dialogue: 0,0:01:42.48,0:01:45.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This belief holds that the universe\Nhas a hierarchy resembling a chain,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:45.92,0:01:48.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that chain starts at the top with God,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:48.32,0:01:52.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then travels down through the angels,\Nplanets, stars, and all lifeforms
Dialogue: 0,0:01:52.04,0:01:54.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,before ending with demons and devils.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:54.28,0:01:56.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Early in this philosophic movement,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:56.12,0:01:59.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it was thought that mankind's place\Nin this chain was exactly in the center.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:59.72,0:02:03.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because humans have a mortal body\Naccompanied by an immortal soul,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:03.32,0:02:05.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we divide the universe nicely in half.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:05.68,0:02:08.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Around the time Leonardo\Nsketched the Vitruvian Man, however,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:08.76,0:02:12.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a Neoplatonist named Pico Della Mirandola\Nhad a different idea.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:12.44,0:02:14.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He pried mankind off the chain
Dialogue: 0,0:02:14.24,0:02:16.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and claimed that humans\Nhave a unique ability
Dialogue: 0,0:02:16.40,0:02:17.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to take any position they want.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:17.96,0:02:20.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Pico claimed that God desired\Na being capable of comprehending
Dialogue: 0,0:02:20.96,0:02:23.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the beautiful and complicated\Nuniverse he had created.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:23.88,0:02:25.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This led to the creation of mankind,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:25.72,0:02:27.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which he placed\Nat the center of the universe
Dialogue: 0,0:02:27.88,0:02:30.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with the ability\Nto take whatever form he pleases.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:30.36,0:02:32.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Mankind, according to Pico,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:32.28,0:02:34.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,could crawl down the chain\Nand behave like an animal
Dialogue: 0,0:02:34.76,0:02:37.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or crawl up the chain\Nand behave like a god,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:37.16,0:02:38.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's our choice.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:38.52,0:02:39.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Looking back at the sketch,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:39.88,0:02:42.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we can see that by changing\Nthe position of the man,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:42.36,0:02:45.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,he can fill the irreconcilable areas\Nof a circle and a square.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:45.32,0:02:47.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If geometry is the language\Nthe universe is written in,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:47.96,0:02:51.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then this sketch seems to say\Nwe can exist within all its elements.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:51.16,0:02:53.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Mankind can fill whatever shape\Nhe pleases geometrically
Dialogue: 0,0:02:53.84,0:02:55.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and philosophically as well.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:55.36,0:02:57.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In this one sketch,\NLeonardo was able to combine
Dialogue: 0,0:02:57.76,0:03:00.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the mathematics, religion,\Nphilosophy, architecture,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:00.80,0:03:02.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and artistic skill of his age.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:02.60,0:03:05.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,No wonder it has become such an icon\Nfor the entire time period.