The Complete Works of Giovanni Pico della Mirandola

He revealed such fertility of genius and recounted things with such skill that you would say he had all the sayings of that teacher before his eyes and ready for use. He had recognized all schools of thought in like manner; he had examined every sect, and you should not believe him so devoted to any one of them (as is the custom of our people) that he would despise the others. Indeed, from his youth he was so instructed and so disposed that he sought the truth in them with equal honor until it shone forth. Once found, he would venerate it, stripped of private affection for any person. However, what he thought about each individual thinker who is considered famous in the world can be seen in the preface to his Apology Pico's "Apologia" was his defense of the 900 Theses he proposed to debate in Rome., when he reported on the properties and peculiar praises of the Barbarian, Greek, and Latin philosophers.

Thomas Aquinas

When the mention of those philosophers or theologians who wrote by debating in the Gallic manner original: "gallico more"; this refers to the Scholastic method of the University of Paris, characterized by rigorous logical analysis. arose in conversation, he was accustomed to praise Thomas Aquinas above all others, as one who rested upon a firmer foundation of truth than the rest. He also calls him "the splendor of our theology" in his Heptaplus Pico's work "Heptaplus" is a seven-fold narration of the six days of Genesis.. Having been asked about this very frequently, including by myself, he gave the same response. Nor should some things contained in his Apology that were to be disputed—which otherwise professedly oppose the opinions of Thomas—persuade anyone to the contrary. At that time, he was quite young and eager for glory in that most celebrated city Rome; in the manner of Gorgias of Leontini A Greek Sophist who claimed he could speak on any subject., he was hunting for fame by defending any side. Add to this that out of ten thousand propositions A hyperbolic reference to his 900 Theses., he disagreed with Thomas in only three or four; this does not prove he was an adversary.

Gorgias of Leontini

Furthermore, he was most skilled in the art of debating and devoted frequent and most earnest labor to literary contests while his mind was still fervent. When he raised an objection, you could easily perceive the sharpness and vigilance of Scotus Duns Scotus (c. 1266–1308), a major High Scholastic theologian., the stinging wit of Francis Francis of Meyronnes (c. 1288–1328), a student of Scotus., and the abundance and multitude of Aureolus Peter Aureol (c. 1280–1322), known for his innovative and complex logical arguments..

Scotus's sharpness

Aureolus

Those "knots" complicated by many twists were not lacking, nor were they supported so much by titillating cleverness as by gravity. When he responded, you would have seen the strength and vigor of Thomas and the breadth of Albert Albert the Great, the teacher of Thomas Aquinas.. Truly, he had long ago sent a formal dismissal to these conflicts and had become more and more disgusted with that duty every day. He refused it even when Ercole d'Este, Duke of Ferrara, and his messengers most earnestly requested it of him.

Ercole d'Este

While a general synod of the Preaching Friars The Dominicans. was being held at Ferrara, the Duke asked that Pico not be reluctant to debate. Though he resisted complying for a long time, he eventually yielded to the many requests of that prince, whose love for him was no small thing. From this, it was uncertain whether he appeared more skillful or more eloquent, more learned or more kind. From the mouth of the debater, such a cheerfulness of soul was always evident that he seemed to be arguing about a pleasant and peaceful matter rather than something bitter and difficult. Therefore, the listeners hung on his every word and were moved to a wonderful love for him.

Adage

But he had a frequent adage: that such a task belonged to the logician, not the philosopher. He also said that those disputes were profitable which were conducted with a calm mind to track down and investigate the truth in private places and away from observers. But he believed those which were done in public—to show off learning or to catch the favor of the common people and the applause of the unskillful—were most harmful. He judged it almost impossible for the desire for honor (which agitates those "forehead-wandering" An expression for those seeking public attention or display. debaters) not to be linked by an inseparable bond to a desire for the shame and confusion of the opponent—a lethal wound to the soul and a deadly poison to charity.

Sophisms

Nothing at all was hidden from him regarding the "little traps" and quibbles of the Sophists, and the "Suissetic trifles" original: "suisseticas quisquilias"; referring to the complex logical calculations of Richard Swineshead, known as "The Calculator." which are called calculations.

Suisset's trifles

These are mathematical commentaries applied to subtle—not to say spirited—reflections on nature. But although he was learned in them and had read such writings as perhaps Italy does not fully know (for no path of literature could be found so trackless and inaccessible that he had not traversed it with his step and sufficiently...