[GALILEO] - ROCCO, Antonio (1578-1653) - Animae rationalis immortalitas simul cum ipsius vera propagatione ex semine. Frankfurt: Philippum Hertz, 1644.   A rare work extremely difficult to find on the market: no copy is registered on RBH or is currently on sale. Antonio Rocco was a philosophy Professor in Padua and led a fierce battle against Galileo Galilei in the name of the Aristotelian vision of science. In his most celebrated work, "Esercitazioni filosofiche", published in 1633 and dedicated to Pope Urban VIII, he presented various Aristotelian theories intended to challenge Galileo's new scientific method and in particular going against the "Dialogo" published in 1632. Galileo replied in various public and private forums, qualifying Rocco with various adjectives from "very ignorant", "stupid", "bad animal", "very elephant", "piece of ox" (Treccani).   The present work, dedicated to the immortality of the rational soul, was published after the "Esercitazioni" and was put on the index in 1645. "Reported several times to the Inquisition because of his pluribus ab hinc annis Antonius Rocchus, lector philosophiae, erat solitus multa effutire contra fidem ac religionem catholicam" (Barbierato, 2006, p. 175), Rocco enjoyed the protection of the Republic and suffered no consequences, except for the placing on the Index in 1645 of the Animae rationalis, published in 1644, in which he reiterated the thesis by Pietro Pomponazzi on the impossibility of rationally demonstrating the immortality of the soul, whose only support was faith" (Treccani).   4to (193 x 150mm). Title in red and black, woodcut initials and headpieces (browning and foxing, some slight dampstaining). Contemporary vellum with manuscript title on spine, speckled edges (light stains). Provenance: some 18th century ownership annotations on endpapers, one dated 1753.

Estimate € 500 - 800

Sold € 1,300