Giordano Bruno's geometries of the mind schemes, orders and figure of imnemotechnic (Q2791933)

Giordano Bruno (1548--1600), an iconic figure in the emergence of modern science, was a Dominican friar, philosopher, astronomer, mathematician, poet. He was declared a heretic by Pope Clement VIII, the Inquisition issued a sentence of death and he was burned at the stake. In 2010, a colloquium was convened in Livorno about the geometrical aspects in the works of Giordano Bruno and, in 2012, the book `Aspetti della geometria nell'opera di Giordano Bruno', edited by Ornella Pompeo Faracovi, with 11 chapters was published. The chapters cover studies of Bruno's views on the plurality of worlds and the plurality of geometries, his works on the geometry of the infinitely small and on the philosophy of nature. Bruno was also devoted to the art of memory and published many works on mnemonic techniques and principles. This theme interested philosophers since antiquity and was particularly important in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. This review covers the last 3 chapters of this book, which treat Bruno's contributions to the art of memory. The longest is a 42-pages conceptual and philosophical discussion, by Marco Matteoli, on how the art of memory of Giordano Bruno is more than mere mnemonic techniques. It deals with cognitive experiences, with resources to symbols and signs. The next chapter, by Mino Gabriele, discusses the geometrical character of the numerous engravings of his books and the relation between text and geometrical illustrations in the works of Giordano Bruno. The third chapter in this review, by Ornella Pompeo Faracovi, deals with the astrological geometry in Bruno's works. This chapter gives an interesting comprehensive discussion of the role of astrology in the Renaissance and the author observes that in the entire writings of Bruno, there is nothing expressly devoted to explain or criticize astrology.NEWLINENEWLINEFor the entire collection see [Zbl 1296.01006].