BIOGRAPHY Giordano Bruno

 

Giordano Bruno is a Dominican monk, philosopher, poet, and prominent thinker of the Renaissance, a prominent representative of esotericism.

The personality of Giordano Bruno is very ambitious and controversial. Many are not familiar with his writings, but everyone knows that he was sent to death by burning. He really defended the theory of Copernicus, trying to prove that the universe has no boundaries, it is infinite. He was not a scientist, did not conduct scientific experiments, did not make calculations, and did not carry out many hours of observation, his knowledge was based on philosophical reflections. But this was not the reason for the death sentence, because even Galileo "got off" with an arrest for his heliocentric picture of the world. Most likely, the church sentenced him to death for a completely different reason, if so far his case has not been reviewed, and the clergy supported the decision made.

CHILDHOOD

Philip Bruno was born in the small town of Nola near Naples in 1548. His parents were a hired soldier, Giovanni, and a poor peasant woman. In 1559, when the boy was 11 years old he was sent to study in Naples. Among other sciences, he has studied literature, dialectics, and logic. Four years later, he ended up in a convent where he lived for ten years. There he changed his name to Giordano and he was under him that he went down in history.

During his stay in the monastery, he became interested in the work of Copernicus entitled "On the rotation of the heavenly spheres", and studied it carefully. Now he opposes the generally accepted ideas put forward by Aristotle and Ptolemy, arguing that they do not correspond to reality. Bruno held his first service at the age of 24, as soon as he took the priests. His statements were so bold that the clergy formed an opinion on his heretical views.

The young monk is forced to run. In 1574 he left Italy, and for seventeen years he traveled all over Europe. During this time he visited England, Switzerland, Germany, and France. In 1577, Bruno gave lectures in French Toulouse, in 1579 he told the Parisian public about the philosophical works of the theologian Lull, of which he was a supporter.

However, after 5 years, the former priest Giordano Bruno got involved in a conflict with the adherents of the theory of Aristotle, and this forced him to leave Paris. Now his path is laid in London, where he worked hard and became the author of numerous philosophical treatises. In 1586, Bruno moved to Germany, but his performances in Marburg were forbidden. Then Giordano moved to Wittberg and taught there.

THE SCIENCE

Bruno worked on the creation of philosophical treatises, took part in disputes, and gave lectures, but each time he ran into misunderstanding and a demand to stop promoting his beliefs. One of the dignitaries, who many years later will become one of those who sentenced Bruno to death, said that the philosopher has an outstanding mind, erudition, and excellent knowledge.

Giordano was a fierce rival of the church, and not only the Catholics but any of the religions. He considered them an obstacle that science must overcome if it wishes to develop further. In 1584 Bruno published his work On Infinity, the Universe and Worlds.

Giordano's work has become the basis for modern materialistic natural science, which includes the material unity of the world, and the spatial and temporal infinity of the Universe.

At the same time, Bruno publishes his work "A Feast on the Ashes", which includes 5 dialogues promoting the astronomical theories of Copernicus. It also presents the ideas of Giordano himself, in which he claims that the Universe is endless and consists of many worlds. Bruno's confidence in his superhuman abilities.

Wherever Giordano lived, he propagated the teachings of Copernicus about the rotation of the planets around one luminary - the Sun everywhere. But it was hard for him to "get through" to the minds of ordinary listeners, even if such enlightened personalities like Bacon and Shakespeare did not believe his words. In complete disappointment, the philosopher left central Europe and leaves for Prague. There he publishes several more of his works, which he dedicated to magic.

Neoplatonism became the basis of Giordano Bruno's philosophy, he believed in the unity of command, in the fact that it was with him that life in the universe began. However, under a single command, it meant not only God but also nature and man. And this is exactly why the church did not forgive him.

According to modern researchers, the ideas of Giordano were not of scientific interest, because basically, they became a continuation of the discoveries of Copernicus. Bruno just expanded the teachings of his predecessor but did not provide any evidence base. Basically, Bruno's findings were more psychological and mystical than astronomical research.

But it cannot be said that Bruno did not make any contributions to the development of modern science at all. It is he who owns the hypothesis that the continents are in motion that there are distant planets that a person cannot see, and much more.

PERSONAL LIFE

Giordano Bruno never married and left no heir behind. He didn't even have followers and students. According to some biographers, Bruno was a homosexual, and this was not uncommon in the Middle Ages, especially amongst the clergy. There is no more accurate information about the personal life of the philosopher.

Portraits of Bruno have survived to this day, where it is clear that he had a fragile physicality and a thoughtful expression on his face. He was completely immersed in his sciences and mysticism, which absorbed him so much that relationships with the fair sex faded into the background.

DEATH

Upon returning to his homeland, Italy, Bruno immediately found himself in the hands of the Inquisition. Perhaps he would not have received a death sentence if he had stopped making diatribes, in which he revealed the truth about the monastery's profits and real estate, and did not put forth demands for the confiscation of this property. According to other researchers, he was sentenced to death solely because of his beliefs about the structure of the universe, its infinity, and the many worlds of which it consists. This was a good reason for a death sentence.

But if you look objectively, then Galileo also refuted church dogmas, but the Inquisition applied a milder punishment to it. Contemporary researchers believe that the whole point is in the methods used by Bruno and Galileo. The latter was a classical scholar, using mathematical calculations and theories as an evidence base, and Giordano was perceived as a thinker, a mystic who used magic instead of science.

Scientists who have studied Bruno's biography are sure that he was sentenced to death not so much because of scientific research, but rather as a result of a fight for power. Giordano was very persuasive in his teachings and basically called for the rejection of religion as such. And such free-thinking in those days was not forgiven. The arrest of the philosopher followed the denunciation of Mocenigo, who charged him with heretical feelings. The trial lasted for six years and all this time Bruno was not released from the Roman prison.

And yet, many researchers say with certainty that the Inquisition offered Bruno to completely renounce his beliefs, and he could count on a pardon. Giordano refused. The original text of Bruno's sentence has not survived to this day, but the fact that his fault was not scientific works, but blasphemy is known for certain. The Church could not allow a threat to its power over people, and a pronounced death sentence on a heretic. Giordano Bruno was burned at the stake on February 17, 1600, in the city of Rome, on the Square of Flowers.

INTERESTING FACTS

Giordano has gone down in history as one of the most remarkable philosophers. More fantasy and myths about him have survived to this day than real facts. This is due to the fact that researchers have interpreted his teachings and research ambiguously. His biography contains some interesting facts, for example, that Bruno constantly questioned the virgin birth of the Virgin Mary, causing real horror among the clergy. It was these words of him that sounded like the main motive for the accusation at the trial.

Bruno had a phenomenal memory that allowed him to work in France for a long time. It was first mentioned by King Henry III, who asked Giordano to give him some lessons in mnemonics. He gave the same lessons to the aristocrat Mocenigo from Venice, whose denunciation was the reason for Bruno's arrest.

In his denunciation, the nobleman noted that the philosopher treated Jesus as a magician, and argued that he did not die accidentally because of the atonement for human sins. Bruno was sure that the human soul is not immortal, that he has the property of reincarnation after the body has died.

The verdict stated that he was to be executed without bloodshed, which meant only one thing—burning. The church banned all the works of Giordano, and only in the middle of the 20th century, this ban was lifted.

At the place of execution of Bruno - the Square of Flowers, they erected a monument to the distinguished thinker. The opening of the memorial was scandalous, a real anti-Catholic demonstration gathering. The church was never rehabilitated by Giordano Bruno; secular society did it instead. In 1973, a film devoted to the life and work of Bruno was shot at one of the Italian film studios. One of the lunar craters is also named after it.