Animal Rationale Mortale. A relação corpo-alma e as paixões da alma nos Comentários ao De anima de Aristóteles portuguesas do séc. XVI

Reference: EXPL/MHC-FIL/1703/2012

Principal researcher: Paula Oliveira e Silva
Core researchers: José Meirinhos; Angel Poncela

International board of advisers: http://www.fct.pt/apoios/projectos/consulta/aavaliar?iep=10922&idconcurso=184

FCT overall rating: Excellent.
FCT panel recommended funding: € 50.000.
2014-2014
Site do projeto: http://ifilosofia.up.pt/proj/arm/

Summary

This project examines the doctrines on the mind-body frame and on the passions of the soul explained in the Universities of Coimbra and Évora in the late sixteenth century by the professors of Philosophy and Theology on both their Commentaries on Aristotle´s De anima and on Aquinas´ Summa Theologiae I-IIae, qq.22 to 48. These Commentaries subsist only in Latin and are part of the 16^th century textual legacy of the Portuguese universities´ philosophical taught. The doctrines on human nature they explain 1. describe the mind-body frame, inquiring both the formation of human body since its conception, and the relation between the human body and the soul, and 2. examine the nature of the passions of the soul and their influence in human knowledge and will. Analyzing these doctrinal debate, the main goals of the project are the followings: 1. To identify the components of tradition and pre-modernity in the debate on human nature and on the passions of the soul; identifying both philosophical and medical authorities quoted in the Commentaries, 2. to ascertain cultural and scientific links that Portuguese universities promote at the time with other Peninsular and European universities, as well as with the New World; concerning the issues analyzed, 3. to better understand the philosophical activity in 16^th century Portuguese universities: the origin of the formation of its doctrines, the influence they have suffered from Peninsular and European universities and the impact they exerted on. Finally, 4. to publish a Portuguese-Latin edition of two Commentaries on Aristotle’s De anima produced by two prominent Portuguese academics, Cristóvão Gil and Pedro da Fonseca. Concerning the nature of the passions of the soul and the problem of embryo´s live, a comparative study between Francisco Suarez´s De passionibus (1595) and the Conimbricenses´ Commentary on Aristotle´s De anima displayed innovative features in the treatment of the explorato ry questions this project investigate.