Emmanuel Maignan (Emanuel) (b. at

Toulouse Toulouse (, ; ; ) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Haute-Garonne department and of the Occitania (administrative region), Occitania region. The city is on the banks of the Garonne, River Garonne, from ...

, 17 July 1601; d. at Toulouse, 29 October 1676) was a French physicist and Catholic Minimite theologian. His writings were particularly influential in Spain, where they were resisted by his fellow Minim Francisco Palanco.

Jonathan Israel Jonathan Irvine Israel (born 22 January 1946) is a British historian specialising in Dutch history, the Age of Enlightenment, Spinoza's Philosophy and European Jews. Israel was appointed as Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the School of Historic ...

, ''Radical Enlightenment: Philosophy and the Making of Modernity, 1650-1750'' (2001), p. 331.

Life

His father was dean of the Chancery of Toulouse, and his mother's father was professor of medicine at the

University of Toulouse The University of Toulouse (, ) is a community of universities and establishments ( ComUE) based in Toulouse, France. Originally it was established in 1229, making it one of the earliest universities to emerge in Europe. Suppressed during the ...

. He studied the humanities at the Jesuit college. At the age of eighteen he joined the

Order of Minims The Order of Minims (; abbreviated OM), known in German-speaking countries as the Paulaner Order (), are a religious order of friars in the Catholic Church, founded by Francis of Paola in fifteenth-century Italy. The order soon spread to France, ...

. His instructor in philosophy was a follower of

Aristotle Aristotle (; 384–322 BC) was an Ancient Greek philosophy, Ancient Greek philosopher and polymath. His writings cover a broad range of subjects spanning the natural sciences, philosophy, linguistics, economics, politics, psychology, a ...

, but Maignan soon began to dispute and oppose all that seemed to him false in Aristotle's teachings, especially of physics. He preferred

Plato Plato ( ; Greek language, Greek: , ; born BC, died 348/347 BC) was an ancient Greek philosopher of the Classical Greece, Classical period who is considered a foundational thinker in Western philosophy and an innovator of the writte ...

to Aristotle. He mastered the mathematics of the day, practically without aid from anyone. At the end of a few years his ability was recognized by his superiors and he was given charge of the instruction of novices. In 1636 he was called to Rome by the general of the order to teach mathematics at the convent of the Trinità dei Monti. There he lived for fourteen years, engaged in mathematics and in physical experiments, and publishing his work on

gnomonics Gnomonics (from the ancient Greek word γνώμων, , meaning 'interpreter, discerner') is the study of the design, construction and use of sundials. The foundations of gnomonics were known to the ancient Greek Anaximander (ca. 550 BCE), which au ...

and perspective. In 1650 he returned to Toulouse and was made provincial. When his three years were up, he was glad to devote himself entirely to his studies. When

Louis XIV LouisXIV (Louis-Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was King of France from 1643 until his death in 1715. His verified reign of 72 years and 110 days is the List of longest-reign ...

, having seen his machines and curiosities at Toulouse, invited him to Paris, in 1669, through

Cardinal Mazarin Jules Mazarin (born Giulio Raimondo Mazzarino or Mazarini; 14 July 1602 – 9 March 1661), from 1641 known as Cardinal Mazarin, was an Italian Catholic prelate, diplomat and politician who served as the chief minister to the Kings of France Lou ...

, he begged to be allowed to pass his life in the seclusion of the convent.

Works

His published works are: *"Perspectiva horaria sive de horographia gnomonica tum theoretica tum practica" (4 vols., Rome, 1648); *"Cursus philosophicus" (1st ed., 4 vols., Toulouse, 1652; 2nd ed. with changes and additions, Lyons, 1673); *"Sacra philosophia entis supernaturalis" (Lyons, 1662, 1st vol., and 1672, 2nd vol.); *"Dissertatio theologica de usu licito pecuniæ" (Lyons, 1673). This dissertation seemed to authorize

usury Usury () is the practice of making loans that are seen as unfairly enriching the lender. The term may be used in a moral sense—condemning taking advantage of others' misfortunes—or in a legal sense, where an interest rate is charged in e ...

and was therefore censured by a number of bishops .

References

*Jean Saguens, (Toulouse, 1697); *

Jean-Pierre Nicéron Jean-Pierre Nicéron (11 March 1685 – 8 July 1738) was a French lexicographer. Biography Nicéron was born in Paris, a relative of the mathematician and Minim friar Jean François Niceron. After his studies at the Collège Mazarin, he joined th ...

, , XXXI (Paris, 1735), 346-353; *Alessio Bortot, (Letteraventidue, Siracusa 2020).

Notes

External links

''Galileo Project'' page
* “Jean François Niceron and Emmanuel Maignan: two Minim fathers, between science and faith”, exhibition curated by Alessio Bortot, Agostino De Rosa and Imago rerum, from 7 October 2023 to 6 January 2024 and from 27 March to 8 September 2024, in the Exhibition Hall of the Sanctuary of San Francesco di Paola in Paola, (CS). The exhibition offers an unprecedented experience which, through physical works and digital reconstructions, will allow visitors to take a journey between science, art and faith

{{DEFAULTSORT:Maignan, Emmanuel 1601 births 1676 deaths Minims (religious order) 17th-century French Catholic theologians French physicists Catholic clergy scientists Clergy from Toulouse

Life

Works

See also

References

Notes

External links