The Art of Conjecture: Nicholas of Cusa on Knowledge (Studies in Philosophy and the History of Philosophy)

"Learned ignorance," the recognition that God is beyond us and our knowing capacities is the theological concept for which Nicholas of Cusa is most famous. Despite God's apparent absence Nicholas offers original ways to think about God that would unite his presence with his absence. He called these proposals "conjectures" (coniecturae). Conjecture and conjecturing are central to the methodology of Nicholas's philosophical theology and to his thinking about human knowledge. By using concrete examples from the everyday life of his times as symbolic imagery Nicholas makes what we say about God imaginatively available and theoretically plausible. He called such conjectural symbols "aenigmata" (= "symbolic or 'enigmatic' conjectures") because they partially clarify and likewise point to an exact truth that is beyond us. Novel and imaginative, Nicholas's conjectural examples break with the traditional medieval Aristotelian examples and provide further evidence of his role as a figure bridging medieval and Renaissance thought. Following his earlier book, Reading Cusanus (The Catholic University of America Press, 2003), Clyde Lee Miller here examines and comments on the meaning of "conjecture" in Nicholas of Cusa. The Art of Conjecture: Nicholas of Cusa on Knowledge explores what Nicholas meant by conjecture and its import as demonstrated in his treatises and sermons. Beginning with Nicholas' On Conjectures, Miller analyzes a series of conjectural symbols and proposals across Nicholas's less frequently discussed texts and recently published sermons. This early Renaissance thinker offers an original and ground-breaking way of framing speculation in philosophical theology and more generally in philosophy itself.''-- Site de l'éditeur "Learned ignorance," the recognition that God is beyond us and ourknowing capacities is the theological concept for which Nicholas ofCusa is most famous. Despite God's apparent absence Nicholas offersoriginal ways to think about God that would unite his presence withhis absence. He called these proposals "conjectures"(coniecturae). Conjecture and conjecturing are central tothe methodology of Nicholas's philosophical theology and to histhinking about human knowledge. By using concrete examples from theeveryday life of his times as symbolic imagery Nicholas makes whatwe say about God imaginatively available and theoreticallyplausible. He called such conjectural symbols "aenigmata" (="symbolic or 'enigmatic' conjectures") because they partiallyclarify and likewise point to an exact truth that is beyond us.Novel and imaginative, Nicholas's conjectural examples break withthe traditional medieval Aristotelian examples and provide furtherevidence of his role as a figure bridging medieval and Renaissancethought. Following his earlier book, Reading Cusanus (TheCatholic University of America Press, 2003), Clyde Lee Miller hereexamines and comments on the meaning of "conjecture" in Nicholas ofCusa. The Art of Conjecture: Nicholas of Cusa on Knowledgeexplores what Nicholas meant by conjecture and its import asdemonstrated in his treatises and sermons. Beginning with Nicholas'On Conjectures, Miller analyzes a series of conjecturalsymbols and proposals across Nicholas's less frequently discussedtexts and recently published sermons. This early Renaissancethinker offers an original and ground-breaking way of framingspeculation in philosophical theology and more generally inphilosophy itself Contents Preface Acknowledments Introduction: Why the Art of Conjecture? Part One. Conjecturing in the World 1. Understanding Cusan Conjectures 2. Experiments with Weights 3. The Cusanus Map and the Mapmaker 4. The Beryl Stone and Aristotle Part Two. Conjecturing and Beyond 5. One and Not One: The Divine Not-Other 6. Conjectures about Light 7. Seeing and Being Seen in The Vision of God 8. Transformation in Christ Conclusion: Final Conjectures Bibliography Index Recent titles in Studies in Philosophy and the History of Philosophy "Through close examination of the texts, the author shows how 15th-century philosopher Nicholas of Cusa developed an understanding of uncertainty that opened the way for human intelligence, despite its inherent weaknesses, to find out more about ourselves, the world, and what lies beyond"-- Provided by publisher