A soul, monsters and life on the Moon. Anthropological theory in Wojciech Tylkowski’s baroque scientia curiosa

Abstract

The article deals with the main points of the anthropological theory presented in the work of a baroque encyclopedist Wojciech Tylkowski which is entitled Uczone rozmowy [Learned Conversations] (1692). This theory combined the elements of theology, philosophy, science and common knowledge. It was presented as scientia curiosa, i.e. a convention which was used during the baroque era to popularize science. The most important aspects of the theory are: the concept of the human soul, four temperaments, the structure and operation of sense organs, the reasons for monstrous births, origins and manifestations of insanity, care of a guardian angel for a man, speculations about the idea of plurality of worlds and the possibility of people living on the Moon.

Keywords

• Barok
• literatura
• antropologia filozoficzna
• popularyzacja nauki
• encyklopedyzm