Folia Theologica 16. (2005)

Pál Bolberitz: The Beginnings of Hungarian Philosphy (The Reception of Nicholas of Cusa in the work of "De homine" by Peter Monedulatus Csokas Laskoi)

THE BEGINNINGS OF HUNGARIAN PHILOSOPHY

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Laskoi - according to the medical and theological common conviction of his age - did not answer the question about the exact time of the individual soul's creation.) Declaring philosophically the spiritual origin of soul, he quotes again Cusanus, namely the nineteenth chapter of Book II of his famous "De concordia catholica", which is rather belongs to the philosophy of law: "Soul, as far as it is regarded a motive and sensitive soul (motiva et sensitiva) is derived from the potency of material (de potentia materiae). If soul is examined by the rational (rationalis) part of soul, then it is derived from God." (Translated by the author.)53 54 Laskoi accepts Cusanus' modern definition about the so called "sorts" of soul, and in this sense he underlines the unity of soul and body occurring in their inter-action during operation.

In the chapter XIV of Book I of our examined work, our author proclaims the immortality and imperishableness of our soul, and besides other ancient philosophers and thinkers of the Patristic age, quotes Cusanus on page 269 of Book 1 of "De homine": "Cusanus in Book V of the second volume of his "Exercitationum" renders a comprehensive verification - writes Csókás Laskoi - that soul is immortal, as he declares it in folio 231 of Book II of "De ludo globi, in the first volume of his work." (Translated by the author.)55 (N. B. Laskoi probably refers to the Cusanus-publication, printed in Basel, which he was able to implement as a source.)

As I have referred to several times thereupon, Laskoi's master- work has a theological apologetic conclusion, more precisely, he denies the existence of purgatory and the interceding of the blessed. In chapter XVIII of his work he quotes Cusanus to support his thought - detaching it from the context of the entire Cusanus- oeuvre - as if Cusanus would have shared his theological concep53 LASCOVIUS, „De homine”, Lib. I. cap. 12. p. 226. „Anima rationalis quotidie a Deo creatur et corporibus et corporibus nascentium in utero iam formatis infunditur.”

54 LASCOVIUS, „De homine”, Lib. I. cap. 12. p. 225. „Cusanus lib. 2. de Concordia Catholic, cap. 19. Anima secundum eius motivam partem considerata, educitur de potentia materiae: secundum autem rationalem eius partem considerata, a Deo est.”

55 LASCOVIUS, „De homine”, Lib. I. cap. 14. p. 269. „Cusanus Tom. 2. lib. 5. Exercitationum, multis probat animam esse immortalem, quod et Tom. 1. lib. De ludo Globi facit fol. 231.”