NORTHERN CALIFORNIA RENAISSANCE CONFERENCE 2009 The Last of the Renaissance Aristotelians and His (Their?) Influence on Modern Science John P. McCaskey Stanford University Program in History and Philosophy of Science and Technology Jacopo Zabarella: The Last of the Renaissance Aristotelians and His Influence on Modern Science Jacopo Zabarella

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA RENAISSANCE CONFERENCE 2009 Montaigne Zabarella Galileo Montaigne and Zabarella

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA RENAISSANCE CONFERENCE 2009 Zabarella Galileo School of Padua

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA RENAISSANCE CONFERENCE Inductive Science Scholastic Aristotelianism Comes Down to Induction

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA RENAISSANCE CONFERENCE 2009 I Tatti Renaissance Library Harvard University Press I Tatti Renaissance Library

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA RENAISSANCE CONFERENCE 2009 Method of Regressus Argue from effect to cause Argue from cause to effect Regressus: Its Two Parts Planets are near. Planets do not twinkle. À posteriori À priori Resolution Composition InductionDeduction Knowledge of the fact Knowledge of the reasoned fact Particulars to universal Universals to particulars

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA RENAISSANCE CONFERENCE 2009 Method of Regressus Argue from effect to cause Argue from cause to effect Regressus: Two Syllogisms Therefore, planets are near. Planets do not twinkle. What does not twinkle is near. Therefore, planets do not twinkle. Planets are near. What is near does not twinkle. Planets are near. Planets do not twinkle. Demonstratio quia Demonstratio ab effectu Demonstratio a signo Syllogismo a signo Demonstration of the second grade Demonstratio propter quid Demonstratio potissima Demonstration in the highest sense

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA RENAISSANCE CONFERENCE 2009 Induction Therefore, every man is biped. Peter is biped. Socrates is biped. Plato is biped.Therefore, every man is biped. Peter, Socrates, Plato & any other man are biped. Peter, Socrates, Plato & any other man are men. Therefore, all men are biped. Peter, Socrates, Plato & any other man are biped. All men are Peter, Socrates, Plato & any other man. “proprio lumine ”

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA RENAISSANCE CONFERENCE 2009 Method of Regressus Argue from effect to cause Argue from cause to effect Regressus: Two Syllogisms, Three Insights Therefore, planets are near. Planets do not twinkle. What does not twinkle is near. Therefore, planets do not twinkle. Planets are near. What is near does not twinkle. Planets are near. Planets do not twinkle.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA RENAISSANCE CONFERENCE 2009 Everard Digby of Cambridge Montaigne Zabarella Digby c Everard Digby c. 1551–1605 Everard Digby c. 1551–1605

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA RENAISSANCE CONFERENCE 2009 Argue from effect to cause Argue from cause to effect Digby’s Ascent and Descent Therefore, planets do not twinkle. Planets are near. What is near does not twinkle. Therefore, planets are near. Planets do not twinkle. What does not twinkle is near. Effects Causes The One Cause

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA RENAISSANCE CONFERENCE 2009 Zabarella and Digby Zabarella Digby c All valid knowledge is à priori deductive deduced from ideas that are “clear,” “known by a clear light,” “known by their own light,” “distinct” justified by contemplative insight alone, without need for empirical grounding All valid knowledge is à priori deductive deduced from ideas that are “clear,” “known by a clear light,” “known by their own light,” “distinct” justified by contemplative insight alone, without need for empirical grounding “the almost mystical beginnings of knowledge”

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA RENAISSANCE CONFERENCE 2009 Descartes Zabarella Digby c Descartes

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA RENAISSANCE CONFERENCE Inductive Science Scholastic Aristotelianism Deductive Science Humanist Aristotelianism S Method of Ascent & Descent Method of Regressus “idol” Concluding Integration