Editing Polymath (section)

{{Short description|Gifted person with broad knowledge}}
{{Redirect|Universal man|the sculpture by Canadian artist Gerald Gladstone|Universal Man}}
{{Hatnote|"Polyhistor" redirects here. For the Roman author and book also known as Polyhistor, see [[Solinus]]. For the ancient Greek scholar, see [[Alexander Polyhistor]].}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2018}}

[[File:Benjamin Franklin 1767.jpg|thumb|283x283px|''[[Portrait of Benjamin Franklin]]'' by [[David Martin (artist)|David Martin]], 1767. [[Benjamin Franklin]] is one of the foremost polymaths in American history. Franklin was a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer and political philosopher. He further attained a legacy as one of the [[Founding Fathers of the United States]].]]

A '''polymath'''{{efn|({{langx|el|πολυμαθής|translit=polymathēs|lit=having learned much}}; {{langx|la|homo universalis|lit=universal human}})}}<ref name="Aus">{{cite news |url = http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/opinion/the-quest-for-renaissance-man/news-story/cda1cda9d478b9e428b1e990efe64b95?sv=d81122bf03913e839a82860813e6c4e |title = Ask The Philosopher: Tim Soutphommasane – The quest for renaissance man |newspaper = The Australian |date = 10 April 2010 |access-date = 2018-07-27 }}</ref> or '''polyhistor'''{{efn|({{langx|el|πολυΐστωρ|translit=polyīstor|lit=well-learned}})}}<ref>{{cite dictionary |title=Polyhistor |dictionary=[[The Free Dictionary]] |url= https://www.thefreedictionary.com/polyhistor }}</ref> is an individual whose knowledge spans many different subjects, known to draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific problems. Polymaths often prefer a specific context in which to explain their knowledge, but some are gifted at explaining abstractly and creatively.<ref>Kaufman, J. C., & Beghetto, R. A. (2009). Beyond big and little: The four c model of creativity. Review of general psychology, 13(1), 1-12.</ref>

Embodying a basic tenet of [[Renaissance humanism]] that humans are limitless in their capacity for development, the concept led to the notion that people should embrace all knowledge and develop their capacities as fully as possible. This is expressed in the term '''Renaissance man''', often applied to the [[Intellectual giftedness|gifted]] people of that age who sought to develop their abilities in all areas of accomplishment: intellectual, artistic, social, physical, and spiritual.