Mathematics · thesis 7>4

Thesis 7>4

Latin

Sicut subiecta mathematicorum, si absolute accipiantur, intellectum nihil perficiunt, ita si ut imagines accipiantur superiorum, immediate nos ad intelligibilium speculationem manu ducunt.

Copy-text: Farmer 1998, line 23623

English

Just as the objects of the mathematical sciences, taken in an absolute sense, bring the intellect to no perfection, so, taken as images of higher things, they lead us directly, as though by the hand, to the contemplation of the intelligible.

Sense checked against Farmer's English at farmer1998:23677; 'objects'/'contemplation of the intelligible' vary Farmer's 'subjects'/'investigation of intelligibles'.

Translation: machine-drafted 2026-09-26 by TRANSLATOR-T08b; sense checked against farmer1998:23677; awaiting human check

Attribution: Pico's own opinion (section 7>, mathematical conclusions) · Pico's stance: endorses

Discussed in

• Jean-Marc Mandosio, Beyond Pico della Mirandola: John Dee's formal numbers and real cabala (2012)

Mention records in the corpus: 1 (deterministic harvest; see Method).

Farmer's cross-references

• 7>1 Mathematicae non sunt uerae scientiae.
• 7>2 Si foelicitas sit in speculatiua perfectione, mathematicae non faciunt ad foelicitatem.
• 7>3 Mathematicae scientiae non sunt propter se, sed ut uia ad alias scientias quaerendae.
• 7>5 Sicut dictum Aristotelis de antiquis, dicentis quod ideo errarunt in physica contemplatione, quia mathematice_res physicas tractarunt, uerum