Renaissance Philosophy

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

The course will examine the development of the concepts of man, nature and God during the Renaissance, reflecting upon how philosophers tackled these themes at the time. Lessons will be divided into two parts: the first will deal with the theme of Renaissance anthropocentric finalism, a result of the affirmation of the alleged structural identity between microcosm (the human being) and microcosm. Later lectures will focus on the relationship with transcendence, moving from the idea that cosmos is the expression of infinite power, a thesis partially deriving from Modern Age Astronomy. The second part of the course will focus on specific philosophers and their reflections upon man, nature and God: Nicholas of Cusa, Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, Bernadino Telesio, Giordano Bruno and Tommaso Campanella. Furthermore, in order to underline the strong bond that links these philosophers with the city of Rome, various on-site visits will be organizes to significant places and libraries that will be deemed relevant in reconstructing the Renaissance theoretical debate on the theme of nature.