Giordano BRUNO's thought and contributions to philosophy

Today we are going to talk about one of the most interesting sages of the Renaissance, Giordano Bruno (1548-1600). Italian philosopher, theologian and astronomer who has an extensive work that ranges from religion to physics, passing through magic. In addition, Giordano Bruno has gone down in history as one of the greatest advocates of freethinking for refusing to renounce his ideals and be condemned for the Inquisition.

If you want to know more about the figure of Giordano Bruno, his thought and contributions, He keeps reading this lesson because we told you about it in a Teacher. The class begins!

Giordano Bruno he was born in the town of Nola (Naples) in 1548. With fourteen years he was sent to study in Naples, with fifteen he entered as a novice at the Dominican convent of Santo DomingoIn 1572 he was ordained a priest and in 1575 he received his doctorate in Theology.

At first, what appeared to be a serene life dedicated to the priesthood and teaching was not. His curiosity, hisdesire to know and its indomitable character

During those years, he broadened his knowledge, exposed his thinking, and wrote his more important works: From the shadows of ideas, Italian dialogues, From the infinite universe and worlds, The dinner of ashes, From the cause, beginning and one, From the immense and the immutable or From magic.

After years of wandering life, in 1591 he accepted the offer of the Venetian nobleman Giovanni mocenigo to go back to Italy. However, his own protector, disgusted with the theses defended by the Neapolitan, denounced him to the Inquisition. Finally, after not recanting and reaffirming his ideals, he was condemned by the Inquisition (having opinions contrary to the Catholic faith) to die at the stake. His words when knowing his final destination were:

“The fear that you feel when imposing this sentence on me may be greater than the one that I feel when accepting it”

The thought of Giordano Bruno and his contributions more imports are found in the field of theology, astronomy, physics, anthropology and magic.

Giordano Bruno's Thought in Theology

In the field of theology, our protagonist defended pantheism. Philosophical current that establishes that deity, nature and the universe are the same or equivalent, that is, that it is not specifically believed in the divine entity called God.

In this regard, Giordano Bruno, in his work Of the cause, the beginning and the one, defends a "atheist pantheism " and naturalistic, with features of the pan-psyche. Therefore, he holds the idea of soul of the world or the general shape of the universe, that is to say, that the soul of the world is that which fills and illuminates everything and that God would be part of that universe.

Giordano Bruno's thinking in astronomy

In his idea of ​​the infinity of the universe and plurality of worlds, the Neapolitan defended the heliocentric model in his work Dinner of ashes. Thus, he established:

• The stars and the Earth move, therefore the Earth is not the center of the solar system.
• Stars and Earth are made up of the same matter.
• The stars and the Earth are surrounded by the same air.
• The stars and the Earth occupy the same space.
• There are no perfect circular orbits, but arbitrary distances that separate the stars and the Earth.
• The universe is homogeneous and is made up of four elements: water, earth, fire, and air.

Physics of Giordaono Bruno

The most important contribution of our protagonist to the field of physics is the relativity of motion and atomism. In this way it states that:

• All movement is a relative movement.
• The movement is conditioned by a reference system.
• The Earth is not static.
• The universe is made up of combinations of small particles that mutate and reconfigure the universe.

“All things on Earth move with Earth. A stone thrown from the top of a mast will somehow return, even if the ship is moving. "

Giardono Bruno's Anthropological Thought

For Bruno man is integrated into nature and, therefore, it is composed of the same matter that makes up all nature and does not have a privileged place in the universe, it is one more entity. The only thing that differentiates it from other beings in nature is the love.

However, the human being has a particular matter and nature that allows him to develop his capacities, which are work and the search for wisdom. Both qualities are what through the culture production, allow to alter the cyclical process of nature.

“Man's is the same specific and generic essence as flies, sea oysters and plants and anything else animated or has a soul, just as there is no body that does not contain within it the more or less lively and perfect presence of the spirit."

Magic according to Giordano Bruno

One of the most curious contributions of Giordano Bruno is his concept of magic, exposed in his work Of magic. In this he states that magic are those relationships that occur in the realm of the fantastic, establishes that there are different types of magic (natural magic, alchemy, mathematical magic, prestige mafia, religious magic or theurgy, sympathetic magic, magic of divination-negative magic) and that "the true magician" is a sage, as were the sophists in Greece, the Celtic druids or the trimegistos Egyptians.

Rowland, I., Giordano Bruno, philosopher and heretic. Ariel. 2010.