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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writes, that "in the "larger-world" (macrocosmos) one is the motive power, one is the spirit (mens), one is the directing governor, one is the centre. Regarding the inexpressible world, it has a centre, which is one, too, and it is - according to Cusanus - God... The other, invisible and formal world, that is the world of angels, has one centre, too... This world-centre is called by Cusanus world-intelligence ("intelligentia")." (Translated by the author)44 45 Discussing about the microcosmos, that is the human being, Laskoi in the same chapter quotes Cusanus in Book One of the work "Dc ludo globi"-. "It is undeniable, that human being, who has soul, is microcosmos." As God moves the whole universe and is presented everywhere all over the things, similarly human being as "smaller world" (microcosmos) is moved by soul, which in its function can be revealed all over the body" - continues the idea of Cusanus.46

Laskoi in the third chapter of his masterwork's Book One quotes the thirty-second chapter of Volume One of Cusanus' "Dc venatione sapientiae": "What a beauty is the oneness of the universe (copula)." "In the top of the sensual, percepting nature stands human being, as microcosmos." "Human being at the same time is placed on the lowest level of the spiritual creatures, and in him, who is situated in the middle of the existent, the temporal, the bottom level of existence is linked with the world of the eternal, uppermost exsitence (God) (connecteus in ipso)." These words are interpreted by Laskoi

44 LASCOVIUS, „De homine”, Lib. I. cap., 3. p. 27. „...ut enim recte ait Cusanus tomo I. lib. 3. de docta ignorantia: Humana natura est illa, quae est supra omnia Dei opera elevata et paulo minus, ut David canit, Angelis minorata.”

45 LASCOVIUS, „De homine”, Lib. 1. cap.. 3. p. 32. „mundus unum habet centrum, Cusano teste Deum, unam animam testibus Hebraeis quam illi Adonai vocant. Alter quoque, mundus formalis, sive invisibilis et Angelicus animatus esse censetur, cuius animam et centrum Cabalistae animam Messiae esse dicunt, quae Angelico illi mundo vitam et motum impertit. Huius centrum vocat Cusanus intelligentiam.” N. B. without reference number.

46 LASCOVIUS, „De homine”, Lib. I. cap., 3. p. 34. „Et hoc illud est, quod ait Cusanus Tom. I. lib. 1. de ludo globi: Non, inquit, possumus negare homine dici mikrokosmos, qui habet animam. Sic enim et magnum mundum animam habere dicunt, alii spiritum universorum, qui omnia intus alit, unit, connectit, fovet et movet, ad quem se habet totus corporalis mundus, sicut hominis corpus se habet ad animam. Ex quibus liquet, quam illud sit plausibile, quod a nonnulis solet usurpari: Deum solum movere universum mundum et tota in corpore reperitur.”