Naturalistic Theory of Religion in Pomponazzi's De Incantationibus and its Significance

FRANEK, Juraj. Naturalistic Theory of Religion in Pomponazzi's De Incantationibus and its Significance. In Portuguese and European Humanism: 5º. Centenary of Cicero Lusitanus, Jerónimo Osório (1515-1580), Universidade de Coimbra - Universidade de Lisboa, Portugalsko, 9.-10. 12. 2015. 2015.

Basic information

• Original name: Naturalistic Theory of Religion in Pomponazzi's De Incantationibus and its Significance
• Authors: FRANEK, Juraj (703 Slovakia, guarantor, belonging to the institution).
• Edition: Portuguese and European Humanism: 5º. Centenary of Cicero Lusitanus, Jerónimo Osório (1515-1580), Universidade de Coimbra - Universidade de Lisboa, Portugalsko, 9.-10. 12. 2015, 2015.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Requested lectures
• Field of Study: 60300 6.3 Philosophy, Ethics and Religion
• Country of publisher: Portugal
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• RIV identification code: RIV/00216224:14210/15:00085232
• Organization unit: Faculty of Arts
• Keywords in English: Pomponazzi; Religion; Naturalism; Miracles; Magic
• Tags: rivok
• Tags: International impact, Reviewed

Abstract

Conspicuously omitted in the recent survey of the subject by Blum (2010), as well as from overviews of explanatory accounts of religion (e.g., Preus 1987 begins his treatment with Jean Bodin), Pomponazzi's general theory of religion exposed in the twelfth chapter of his treatise De incantationibus did not yet command the merited scholarly attention, which is, incidentally, true also for the treatise itself, standing in the shadow of his major works De immortalite animae and De fato, having received modern critical edition only in 2011. Main aim of the paper consists therefore of detailed discussion of Pomponazzi's theory and, more importantly, its contextualization within the frame of Western critical reflection of the phenomenon of religion. Paper argues that naturalistic (and, by extension, reductionist) theories of religion flourishing in the works of presocratic philosophers and in Lucretius' adaptation of Epicureanism in his De rerum natura virtually disappear throughout the Medieval period. The significance of Pomponazzi's theory highlighted in the paper lies precisely in the revival of these naturalistic, explanatory and reductionist approaches to religion.

Links

• MUNI/A/1284/2014, interní kód MU: Name: Interdisciplinární výzkum antických jazyků, jejich literatur a příslušných kultur (Acronym: Antické jazyky, literatury a spol.)

Investor: Masaryk University, Category A