The Immortality of the Soul in Renaissance Aristotelian Thought: The Interpretations of Cajetanus, Ferrara, Pomponazzi, and Nifo

Abstract

The study focuses on the significant debate in the Renaissance on what the Greek philosopher thought about the survival of the human soul after death. The aim is to analyze the polemics between the Dominicans Cajetanus and Ferrara, as well as between the Aristotelians Pomponazzi and Nifo, exploring their impact on the metaphysical, epistemological and ethical fields, as well as on the articulation between faith and reason. The method employed is analytical, comparative and hermeneutic. In conclusion, these debates have allowed a deeper analysis of the Aristotelian texts, questioning traditional interpretations and generating new approaches that encourage further exploration of the subject and understanding its relevance in the intellectual and philosophical context of the sixteenth century. Furthermore, it questions the role of philosophy in justifying the survival of the soul. If immortality becomes solely a matter of faith, it weakens the position of reason, establishing a “weak reason”.