Erasmo e il ruolo della memoria nella formazione dei giovani

The paper analyzes the role assigned by Erasmus of Rotterdam to memory in educational training processes. The Dutch Humanist excludes from the ratio studiorum the use of memorative techniques to preserve knowledge. Instead, he believes that natural memory can be made more capacious and resistant with repeated reading and with frequent references. But he goes further: his position towards the ancient Ars memoriae is very critical. The techniques, in his opinion, mechanize the process of recall and do not allow the develop- ment of a desirable autonomy of judgment by young people in training.