AGRIPPA, Henrich Cornilius

by Henrich Cornilius Agrippa

£4,250 · Offered by Sokol Books

Second edition of Agrippa's (1486 - 1535) commentary on Raymond Lull's (1232-1316) Ars Magna or Ultimate General Art', a system of logic blending influences from Arabic mysticism, Egyptian hermeticism, and Lull's missions to Jews and Muslims. In his preface Agrippa praises Lull's art 'as easy to learn for students young and old': in fact it is based on a confusing series of paper 'machines' Lull had developed to do his reasoning for him, comprising of circles with symbols representing key topics. When rotated together in any combination they yield only theologically true' statements, such as 'Angels are Wise', and 'God is Eternal'. These so-called 'Lullian Circles' were intended as tools for debating faith with Muslims: ironically they were based from an Arabic astrological tool used to cast horoscopes known as the zairja. Agrippa breaks down each circle and its function: there are nine main subjects including God, Angels, and Man, each assigned a letter B-K. The same letters are assigned to characteristics: Goodness, Greatness, Duration, Power, Wisdom, Will, Virtue, Truth, and Glory. The relationship between these sets of terms is determined by three triangles that highlight their differences, similarities, and magnitudes of importance to one another. There is a detailed discussion of the meaning of each circle's constituent terms, including how it is possible to reduce all of philosophy to so few qualities from so many. The work concludes with the rules for using the Lullia

• Binding: Hardcover

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