Today, February 17, the mayor of Rome will lay flowers at the feet of the statue of Giordano Bruno in the marketplace of Campo de' Fiori. It is a symbolic gesture of independence from the Vatican, the institution that burned Giordana at the stake on this day in 1600. Bruno was a philosopher and former Dominican priest. He travelled throughout Europe in the late 1500s, managing to antagonize both Protestant and Catholic officials wherever he went with his annoying habit of open inquiry. He was arrested by the Inquisition in Venice (mostly for deciding to leave the home of a patron who collected intellectuals in a manner analogous to stamps) and then turned over to Roman authorities.
Amoung his heresies was the belief in the existence of other worlds.
Ingrid Rowland has just published a new book on the life of Giordano. While some parts dive into the minutia of philosophy, it is a book that can be read more broadly than just by philosophers. I have a copy if anyone on campus would like to look at it.
Also today, Bill Maher, releases his movie 'Religulous' as a DVD. Religulous, is a scathing attack on organized religion (full disclosure: I haven't seen it).
Is the release date a coincidence?
Photo credit: Me
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