Anti-Essentialism and the Rhetoricization of Knowledge: Mario Nizolio's Humanist Attack on Universals

• Published in: Renaissance quarterly Vol. 65; no. 1; pp. 31 - 66
• Main Author: Nauta, Lodi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge The Renaissance Society of America 01.03.2012; Cambridge University Press
• Subjects: Animal taxonomy; Animals; Argumentation; Aristotelianism; Classical rhetoric; Dialectic; Genera; Humanism; Humans; Knowledge; Metonymy; Nizolio, Mario (1488-1567); Philosophy; Renaissance period; Rhetoric; Studies; Words

Well-known for his Ciceronianism as well as for his crass nominalism and virulent attack on universals, the humanist Mario Nizolio (1488–1567) is often considered to be a forerunner of early modern philosophy. But although his name duly features in general accounts of Renaissance humanism and philos...