Marsilio Ficino - philosopher, theologian and scientist, an outstanding thinker of the Renaissance

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:44

Marsilio Ficino (years of life - 1433-1499) was born near Florence, in the town of Figline. He was educated at the University of Florence. Here he studied medicine and philosophy. The philosophy of Marsilio Ficino, as well as some facts from his biography, will be presented in this article.

Marsilio writes already in the early 50s of the 15th century his first independent works, which were marked by the influence of the ideas of various philosophers of antiquity. A little later, he studies the Greek language, and also begins to translate. Ficino in the same years becomes the secretary of Cosimo de' Medici, head of the Florentine Republic.

Image of Marsilio Ficino

Marsilio is generally a generalized image, a kind of symbol of a humanist-philosopher, in whose worldview various philosophical and religious traditions are mixed. Being a Catholic priest (Ficino took the rank at the age of 40), he was fond of the ideas of ancient thinkers, dedicated some of his sermons to the "divine Plato"(the image is presented below), even put a candle at home in front of his bust. Engaged at the same time Ficino and magic. These seemingly contradictory qualities for the philosopher himself, on the contrary, were inseparable from each other.

Ficino is a humanist

Ficino clearly showed in his work the main feature of the humanistic movement, since, like most representatives of subsequent eras, he believed that new ideals could be developed only when the Christian doctrine was re-justified with the help of magical and mystical ideas of antiquity, and also on the basis of the ideas of Plato, whom he considered the successor of Zoroaster, Orpheus and Hermes Trismegistus. It should be noted at the same time that for Ficino, as well as for other humanists, Platonic philosophy and Neoplatonism were a single doctrine. It was only in the 19th century that the difference between Neoplatonism and Platonism was first recognized.

Translation activities

Marsilio Ficino, having many hobbies, was engaged in the following three most important activities. He became famous primarily as a translator. In 1462-1463, it was Marsilio who translated the works attributed to Hermes Trismegistus into Latin, as well as the Commentaries on Zoroaster and the Hymns of Orpheus. Over the next fifteen years, he published in Latin practically all the dialogues of Plato, as well as the writings of Plotinus, the late ancient philosophers and the Areopagitica (80-90 years of the 15th century).

Philosophical writings

Another area of Ficino's activity was related to philosophy. He wrote two works: "Plato's Theology on the Immortality of the Soul" and "On the Christian Religion". Ficino, relying on the works written by Hermes Trismegistus, argued that the main stages in the development of philosophy appear as "illumination", so its meaning is to prepare the human soul for the perception of revelation.

Religious ideas

The Florentine thinker, in fact, did not separate philosophy and religion, like many other philosophers of the 15th century. In his opinion, they originate in the mystical teachings of antiquity. The Divine Logos as a revelation was given to Zoroaster, Orpheus and Hermes Trismegistus. After that, the baton of divine secret knowledge was transferred to Plato and Pythagoras. By his appearance on earth, Jesus Christ has already embodied the Logos-Word in life. He also delivered a divine revelation to all people.

So, both Christian doctrine and ancient philosophy have a common source - the Divine Logos. For Ficino himself, therefore, studies in philosophy and priestly activity were presented in an inseparable and absolute unity. He believed, moreover, that it was necessary to develop some kind of unified philosophical and religious concept, to combine the teachings of Plato, ancient mysticism with the Holy Scriptures.

The concept of "universal religion"

In Ficino, in accordance with this logic, the so-called concept of universal religion arises. He believed that God originally gave the world a religiousthe truth, which, due to imperfection, people cannot fully understand, therefore they create all kinds of religious cults. An attempt to approach it is also made by various thinkers representing the main stages in the development of philosophy. But all these beliefs and ideas are just manifestations of a single "universal religion." Divine truth in Christianity has found the most reliable and accurate expression.

Ficino, seeking to reveal the meaning and content of the "universal religion", follows the Neoplatonic scheme. In his opinion, the world consists of the following five levels: matter, quality (or form), soul, angel, god (in ascending order). The highest metaphysical concepts are god and angel. They are infinite, immaterial, immortal, indivisible. Matter and quality are lower concepts associated with the material world, therefore, they are limited in space, mortal, temporary, divisible.

The main and only link between the lower and higher levels of being is the soul. She, according to Ficino, is triune, since she has three hypostases: the soul of living creatures, the soul of the heavenly spheres and the soul of the world. Flowing from God, it animates the material world. Marsilio Ficino literally sings of the soul, arguing that it is she who is the connection of everything, since when she inhabits one, she does not leave the other. In general, the soul supports everything and permeates everything. Ficino therefore calls her the knot and bundle of the world, the face of everything, the mediator of all things, the center of nature.

Based on this, it becomes clear why so manyMarsilio pays attention to the soul of an individual. Adjacent to the divine, she, in his understanding, is the "mistress of the body", controls it. Therefore, the knowledge of one's soul should become the main occupation of any person.

The theme of the essence of human personality

The theme of the essence of the personality of an individual Ficino continues in his discussion of "Platonic love". He means by the concept of love the reunion in God of a carnal, real person with the idea of him. Ficino, in accordance with Christian Neoplatonic ideas, writes that everything in the world comes from God and will return to him. Therefore, in all things one must love the Creator. Then people can rise to love in the god of all things.

The true man and the idea of him, therefore, is one. But there is no true man on earth, because all people are separated from each other and from themselves. This is where divine love comes into play, with the help of which you can come to true life. If all people are reunited in it, they will be able to find the way to the Idea. Therefore, by loving God, people themselves become beloved by him.

Very popular in the 15th century was the preaching of "Platonic love" and "universal religion". It retained its appeal for many Western European thinkers later.

Treatise "On Life"

In 1489, Ficino's medical treatise "On Life" was published, in which he relied on astrological laws, like other representatives of the Renaissance. basismedical prescriptions at that time served the belief that parts of the human body are subordinate to the signs of the zodiac, and different temperaments are associated with different planets. It was shared by many Renaissance thinkers. The opus was intended for scientists who, due to hard work, often fall into melancholy or fall ill. They are advised by Ficino to avoid minerals, animals, herbs, plants related to Saturn (this planet has a melancholy temperament), to surround themselves with objects related to Venus, Jupiter and the Sun. The image of Mercury, as this thinker argued, develops memory and ingenuity. It can also ward off fever when placed on a tree.

The significance of Ficino's activities

Renaissance thinkers held Marsilio in high regard. He made a great contribution to the culture of Florence in the last third of the 15th century, especially in the development of a new type of Platonism. Among his friends were the largest representatives of the Renaissance in various fields: philosophers, politicians, poets, artists and other prominent personalities.

Through his environment, Ficino influenced many areas of the spiritual life of Florence, in particular the fine arts, since at that time customers usually made up the literary program of works. The influence of his ideas can be traced in the "Birth of Venus" and "Spring" by Botticelli, "Pan" by Signorelli, as well as in the cycle of paintings "History of the Volcano" by Piero di Cosimo and others. The further history of philosophy also reflects them. Briefly describedus the biography and ideas of this thinker are of great interest even today.