Italian philosopher, astronomer, mathematician, and
occultist whose theories anticipated modern science. The most notable of these
were his theories of the infinite universe and the multiplicity of worlds, in
which he rejected the traditional geocentric (or Earth-centred) astronomy and
intuitively went beyond the Copernican heliocentric (Sun-centred) theory, which
still maintained a finite universe with a sphere of fixed stars. Bruno is,
perhaps, chiefly remembered for the tragic death [his tongue in a gag, and
burned alive] he suffered at the stake because of the tenacity with which he
maintained his unorthodox ideas at a time when both the Roman Catholic and the
Reformed churches were reaffirming rigid Aristotelian and Scholastic principles
in their struggle for the evangelization of Europe….
Bruno's theories influenced 17th-century scientific and
philosophical thought and, since the 18th century, have been absorbed by many
modern philosophers. As a symbol of the freedom of thought, Bruno inspired the
European liberal movements of the 19th century, particularly the Italian
Risorgimento (the movement for national political unity). Because of the
variety of his interests, modern scholars are divided as to the chief
significance of his work. Bruno's cosmological vision certainly anticipates
some fundamental aspects of the modern conception of the universe; his ethical
ideas, in contrast with religious ascetical ethics, appeal to modern humanistic
activism; and his ideal of religious and philosophical tolerance has influenced
liberal thinkers. On the other hand, his emphasis on the magical and the occult
has been the source of criticism as has his impetuous personality. Bruno
stands, however, as one of the important figures in the history of Western
thought, a precursor of modern civilization.
(Britannica Encyclopedia)
