Jacopo Mazzoni's "De triplici hominum vita" (1576, re-issued in 1577) is a work highly representative of the cultural atmosphere of the late Renaissance. It is an ambitious text of 5197 'conclusiones' comprising knowledge of the liberal arts, philosophy and theology that Mazzoni originally intended to discuss publicly in Rome in 1576, and did so in Bologna in 1577. The present study focuses on the Platonic sources used by Mazzoni in the sections concerning the nature of the heavens and the nature of the soul: two topics intensely debated in the second half of the sixteenth century. A historically significant example of Mazzoni's erudition and critical thought is the way in which he belies Copernicus by questioning the meaning of those 'auctoritates' (Plato and the Pythagoreans) with which the Copernicans sought to substantiate their theory. Indeed, his stance on this point, which does not seem to have been the subject of any study until now, is important for evaluating the reception of Copernicanism in Italy.
The Platonic Sources of Jacopo Mazzoni's "conclusiones" on "De caelo" and "De anima" in His "De triplici hominum vita" (1576)
Simone Fellina
;Marco Forlivesi
2022-01-01
Abstract
Jacopo Mazzoni's "De triplici hominum vita" (1576, re-issued in 1577) is a work highly representative of the cultural atmosphere of the late Renaissance. It is an ambitious text of 5197 'conclusiones' comprising knowledge of the liberal arts, philosophy and theology that Mazzoni originally intended to discuss publicly in Rome in 1576, and did so in Bologna in 1577. The present study focuses on the Platonic sources used by Mazzoni in the sections concerning the nature of the heavens and the nature of the soul: two topics intensely debated in the second half of the sixteenth century. A historically significant example of Mazzoni's erudition and critical thought is the way in which he belies Copernicus by questioning the meaning of those 'auctoritates' (Plato and the Pythagoreans) with which the Copernicans sought to substantiate their theory. Indeed, his stance on this point, which does not seem to have been the subject of any study until now, is important for evaluating the reception of Copernicanism in Italy.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
