Question

Write a short note to show what you know about Erasmus’s idea of the printed book.

Answer 1

Erasmus was a Latin scholar and Catholic reformer. He criticized the abuses of Catholicism. He, however, kept his distance from Luther and refused to join his anti-church movement. He was concerned about large-scale printing because he believed that while certain books could contribute helpful knowledge, the majority of them were slanderous, scandalous, shouting, irreligious, and seditious. Such books are damaging, and their prevalence is so great that even valuable books lose their value. So he was opposed to the printing of books.