PhilosophersGiordano Bruno
Giordano Bruno
The universe is infinite, filled with countless worlds.
Humanism · Neoplatonism1548 – 1600 ItalyPhilosopher of natureCosmologist of the infinite universeFormer Dominican, condemned for heresyWriter of dialogues
Inspirations
Pythagore the Earth as a star; "not fearing death, awaiting change"
Démocrite infinity and innumerable worlds, with Epicurus and Lucretius
Plotinthe world-soul, the One
Nicolas de Cuesthe "divine Cusanus": coincidence of opposites, a universe without centre
Copernicthe Earth moves around the Sun
Aristote against the finite universe and the spheres
criticHeirs
Keplerrejects the infinite universe (1606)
criticSpinoza a God immanent in nature; a debated parallel: no proof he read Bruno
Schellinghis dialogue "Bruno" (1802)
Hegel gives him a place in his history of philosophy
Similar and opposite philosophers
how it is computedClosest
Épictète A former slave turned Stoic teacher: he taught that we can act only on our judgements and desires, never on the rest.
100 %Susan Wolf A life is meaningful when one loves what is worthy of love and engages with it actively.
100 %Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel The real is rational: Spirit realises itself in history.
86 %Étienne de La Boétie Young magistrate and friend of Montaigne: at about eighteen he asks why millions of people serve one tyrant, and answers that it is they who support him.
86 %