HoP 395 - Music of the Spheres - Johannes Kepler
Johannes Kepler fuses Platonist philosophy with a modified version of Copernicus’ astronomy.
Johannes Kepler fuses Platonist philosophy with a modified version of Copernicus’ astronomy.
The radical negative theology of Nicholas of Cusa, and his hope of establishing peace between the religions of the world.
Was the natural philosophy of Bernardino Telesio and Tommaso Campanella the first modern physical theory?
Pietro Pomponazzi and Agostino Nifo debate the immortality of the soul and the cogency of Averroes’ theory of intellect.
Pico della Mirandola argues for the harmony of the ancient authorities, draws on Jewish mysticism, and questions the value of humanist rhetoric.
An interview with Denis Robichaud on how, and why, Plato was read in the Italian Renaissance.
Marsilio Ficino’s revival of Platonism, with a focus on his proofs for the soul’s immortality in his magnum opus, the Platonic Theology.
The blossoming of Renaissance Platonism under the Medici, who supported the scholarship of Poliziano, Ficino, and Pico della Mirandola.
Was Gemistos Plethon, the last great thinker of the Byzantine tradition, a secret pagan or just a Christian with an unusual enthusiasm for Platonism?
Gregory Palamas and the controversy over his teaching that we can go beyond human reason by grasping God through his activities or “energies”.
Princess Anna Komnene makes good use of her political retirement by gathering a circle of scholars to write commentaries on Aristotle.
The trial of John Italos and other signs of Byzantine disquiet with the pagan philosophical tradition.
John of Damascus helps to shape the Byzantine understanding of humankind and the veneration of images, despite living in Islamic territory.
Peter King, Catarina Dutilh Novaes, and Russ Friedman discuss their approaches to medieval philosophy, and its contemporary relevance.
Bob Pasnau joins Peter to discuss ideas about substance from Aquinas down to the time of Locke, Leibniz and Descartes.
New ideas and and new universities in Italy and greater Germany including Vienna and Prague, where Jan Hus carries on the radical ideas of Wyclif.
Be surprised by how many philosophical problems arise in connection with angels (how many can dance on the head of a pin is not one of them).
Dietrich of Freiberg, Berthold of Moosburg, John Tauler and Henry Suso explore Neoplatonism and mysticism.
The scholastic and mystic Meister Eckhart sets out his daring speculations about God and humankind in both Latin and German.
Peter speaks to Jack Zupko about John Buridan's secular and parsimonious approach to philosophy.