Karina+Week+3,+Part+1

In the article, //Giordano Bruno: The Forgotten Philosopher//, John J. Kessler presents his opinions of Giordano Bruno, whom he dubs as “…one martyr whose name should lead all the rest.” Kessler paints Bruno as a man who was an independent thinker for his time (when others thought that Aristotle was brilliant and infallible) and above “mob hysteria” and who abhorred having another’s beliefs forced upon him. Bruno is described as an outcast who had no place in either the Catholic or Protestant religious community and was eventually condemned as an atheist and burned at the stake (after bravely challenging the premises of his sentence and pushing away the cross when it was presented to him as he was dying of course). I found this overt characterization of Bruno to be amusing anecdotal fluff, with some juicy profound quotes thrown in at just the right moments. And I quote, “Bruno tried to imagine a god whose majesty should dignify the majesty of the stars. He devised no new metaphysical quibble nor sectarian schism. He was not playing politics. He was fond of feeling deep thrills over high visions and he liked to talk about his experiences.” This quote, while uplifting and heroic sounding (dramatic music playing in the background), is just “quibble” itself. It just piles on more and more the author’s opinion that this Giordano Bruno is the next best thing (to apple pie?) and restates his opinion of Bruno’s “pioneer” status as the one “who roused Europe from its long intellectual sleep”. (Single handedly?) While Bruno might have believed all that he is quoted as saying, he was not responsible for much in the way of improvement towards the “Church” entity, even if he really refused the crucifix while burning he is not more worthy of improved martyr status than the countless others that the Church killed because they thought that their beliefs were heretical. Another sickly-sweet quote is the one where the author calls Bruno “a sensitive, imaginative poet, fired with the enthusiasm of a larger vision of a larger universe…” Firstly, this sounds like the 1960’s all over again. Secondly, sure, he might have been fired up with enthusiasm, but that is not relevant to any actions. There needs to be something meaningful happening to back up metaphysical ramblings or grand visions. Kessler even states that Bruno was “carrying on a spirited propaganda” at dinner parties. All in all, this summary of Giordano Bruno’s importance was full of almost painfully dramatic quotes and of the moral and mental superiority of Bruno. He dreamed and wrote and thought of a better world, and died, technically a martyr, but one of many. And as the author closes this article he adds, “It is an incredible story.” That it is...