Marcantonio Zimara and Renaissance Aristotelianism

Marcantonio Zimara was a philosopher and physician of the sixteenth century. Born in Galatina in 1470, he is best known for his contribution to Aristotelianism and Averroism. He studied in Padua thanks to the support of his uncle Pietro Bonuso. He obtained a doctorate in artibus in 1501 and taught natural philosophy. Marcantonio is remembered for his works that defend the Averroistic interpretation of Aristotle.

Averroism plays a central role in the philosophy of Marcantonio Zimara, who is a fervent defender of the Averroistic interpretation of Aristotle. Zimara opposed any deviation from this interpretation, criticizing both his contemporaries who tried to reconcile Aristotle with other philosophies, and those who, like the Sigerians, tried to modify the doctrine of the single and separate intellect. His works, such as the “Solutiones contradictionum” and the “Tabula dilucidationum”, are evidence of his commitment to maintaining the purity of Averroism against any form of deviation.

Marcantonio Zimara's major works include:

1. A work in which Zimara resolves the apparent contradictions between the statements of Aristotle and Averroes.: Un’opera in cui Zimara risolve le contraddizioni apparenti tra le affermazioni di Aristotele e Averroè. ​
2. Tabula dilucidationum in dictis Aristotelis et Averrois: A glossary clarifying obscure and controversial points in the writings of Aristotle and Averroes, with frequent digressions against various philosophers and theologians.
3. Solutiones contradictionum in dictis Aristotelis et Averrois: A work in which Zimara resolves the apparent contradictions between the statements of Aristotle and Averroes. ​
4. Annotations in Ioannem Gandavensem super Quaestionibus Metaphysicae: Notes and comments on the metaphysical questions of Giovanni di Jandun. ​
5. Quaestio de immortalitate animae: A work that discusses the immortality of the soul, often in polemic with Pietro Pomponazzi.

These works reflect his commitment to defending the Averroistic interpretation of Aristotle and to combating deviations from this doctrine.

The differences between Averroism and Platonism are significant and concern various aspects of philosophy, including the conception of the intellect, the nature of ideas and the relationship between the soul and the body. Here are some of the main differences: (In Italian)

1. Concezione dell’intelletto:
   • Averroismo: Sostiene l’idea di un intelletto unico e separato per tutta l’umanità, che si unisce agli individui attraverso le immagini sensibili. Questo intelletto è eterno e non individuale. ​
   • Platonismo: Propone l’esistenza di un’anima individuale e immortale per ogni persona, che possiede una conoscenza innata delle idee eterne e immutabili.
2. Natura delle idee:
   • Averroismo: Le idee sono considerate come forme intelligibili che esistono nell’intelletto unico e separato.
   • Platonismo: Le idee sono entità reali e separate che esistono in un mondo intelligibile, indipendente dal mondo sensibile. ​ Sono esemplari eterni delle cose sensibili.
3. Relazione tra anima e corpo:
   • Averroismo: L’anima intellettiva è separata dal corpo e non è la forma sostanziale dell’individuo. L’intelletto unico si unisce agli individui solo attraverso le immagini sensibili. ​
   • Platonismo: L’anima è la forma sostanziale del corpo e ha una natura immortale. ​ Essa preesiste al corpo e, dopo la morte, ritorna al mondo delle idee.
4. Conoscenza e apprendimento:
   • Averroismo: La conoscenza è acquisita attraverso l’intelletto unico che si unisce agli individui tramite le immagini sensibili.
   • Platonismo: La conoscenza è una reminiscenza delle idee che l’anima ha conosciuto prima di unirsi al corpo. ​ L’apprendimento è quindi un processo di riscoperta di queste idee innate.

The son of Marcantonio, Teofilo Zimara, born in 1515, is less well known than his father. Like his father, he studied philosophy and medicine, and was distinguished by his commentary on Aristotle’s “De anima”, published in 1584. Unlike his father, Teofilo criticized Averroism and tried to reconcile Aristotle with Plato, influenced by Neoplatonic commentators such as Simplicio. Teofilo died in 1589 in Lecce, leaving a work on Metaphysics that was never published. His philosophical legacy, although less influential than that of his father, represents an attempt at renewal and reconciliation between Aristotelian and Platonic philosophies.