Sebastian Basso
Encyclopedia
Sébastien Basson was a French physician and natural philosopher of the early seventeenth century. He was an early theorist of a matter theory based both on atoms and compounds. To the modern reader, his natural philosophy
looks eclectic, as it draws on several currents of thought, including Italian Renaissance naturalism, alchemy and Calvinist theology. Together with Isaac Beeckman
he is sometimes considered the inventor of molecular theory.
in Lorraine around 1573 and studied at the Jesuit college of Pont-à-Mousson
, where he took philosophy courses under Petrus Sinsonius. Where he obtained his doctorate in medicine is unknown. At some stage, but before 1610, he converted to Calvinism and got married in Lausanne
, Switzerland. From 1611 to 1625, he taught rhetoric at the small Calvinist academy at Die-en-Dauphiné. In 1620, he had to appear before the board of theologians at Geneva in order to defend his anti-Aristotelian treatise, whose printing the censors had stopped. After tensions with the academic senate at Die
had been rising for some years, he left the town in anger in 1625. Where he went and when he died is unknown.
; it attacked in particular the concept of continuous magnitude. Leclerc considers this work the fullest expression of the “new conception of nature” that had arisen in Europe by the 1620s, at the hands of Francis Bacon
, Galileo Galilei
, David van Goorle
, and Daniel Sennert
.
For Basson, atoms may combine as mixta, but they are not in a void, but rather in an ether
. They are moved by it; in this suggestion Basso contradicts the teleology
of the Jesuit view of causation
. The theory of his time on the classical elements tended towards a version with five principles
, but Basso rejected earth
and water
in his book, leaving his elemental theory as three Paracelsian principles. He opposed, though, the theory of "compounds", as admitted by Sennert, in the sense of mixtures having properties that were not properties of their atomistic constituents.
Natural philosophy
Natural philosophy or the philosophy of nature , is a term applied to the study of nature and the physical universe that was dominant before the development of modern science...
looks eclectic, as it draws on several currents of thought, including Italian Renaissance naturalism, alchemy and Calvinist theology. Together with Isaac Beeckman
Isaac Beeckman
Isaac Beeckman was a Dutch philosopher and scientist, who, through his studies and contact with leading natural philosophers, may have "virtually given birth to modern atomism".-Biography:...
he is sometimes considered the inventor of molecular theory.
Life
Basson was born in the area of MetzMetz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
in Lorraine around 1573 and studied at the Jesuit college of Pont-à-Mousson
Pont-à-Mousson
Pont-à-Mousson is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.Population : 14,592 . It is an industrial town , situated on the Moselle River...
, where he took philosophy courses under Petrus Sinsonius. Where he obtained his doctorate in medicine is unknown. At some stage, but before 1610, he converted to Calvinism and got married in Lausanne
Lausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
, Switzerland. From 1611 to 1625, he taught rhetoric at the small Calvinist academy at Die-en-Dauphiné. In 1620, he had to appear before the board of theologians at Geneva in order to defend his anti-Aristotelian treatise, whose printing the censors had stopped. After tensions with the academic senate at Die
Die, Drôme
Die is a commune, former episcopal see, and sub-prefecture of the Drôme department in southeastern France.Die is best known for the Clairette de Die, a sparkling wine. It was a county in the High Middle Ages.-Population:-External links:*...
had been rising for some years, he left the town in anger in 1625. Where he went and when he died is unknown.
Works
His Philosophiae naturalis adversus Aristotelem libri XII of 1621, was, as its title suggests, strongly against the conception of natural philosophy as based on AristotleAristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
; it attacked in particular the concept of continuous magnitude. Leclerc considers this work the fullest expression of the “new conception of nature” that had arisen in Europe by the 1620s, at the hands of Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Albans, KC was an English philosopher, statesman, scientist, lawyer, jurist, author and pioneer of the scientific method. He served both as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England...
, Galileo Galilei
Galileo Galilei
Galileo Galilei , was an Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher who played a major role in the Scientific Revolution. His achievements include improvements to the telescope and consequent astronomical observations and support for Copernicanism...
, David van Goorle
David van Goorle
David van Goorle was a Dutch theologian, and in the seventeenth century one of the first early modern atomists....
, and Daniel Sennert
Daniel Sennert
Daniel Sennert was a renowned German physician and a prolific academic writer, especially in the field of Alchemy or Chemistry. He held the position of professor of medicine at the University of Wittenberg for many years....
.
For Basson, atoms may combine as mixta, but they are not in a void, but rather in an ether
Aether theories
Aether theories in early modern physics proposed the existence of a medium, the aether , a space-filling substance or field, thought to be necessary as a transmission medium for the propagation of electromagnetic waves...
. They are moved by it; in this suggestion Basso contradicts the teleology
Teleology
A teleology is any philosophical account which holds that final causes exist in nature, meaning that design and purpose analogous to that found in human actions are inherent also in the rest of nature. The word comes from the Greek τέλος, telos; root: τελε-, "end, purpose...
of the Jesuit view of causation
Causation
Causation may refer to:* Causation , a key component to establish liability in both criminal and civil law* Causation in English law defines the requirement for liability in negligence...
. The theory of his time on the classical elements tended towards a version with five principles
Principle (chemistry)
In modern chemistry, principles are the constituents of a substance, specifically those that produce a certain quality or effect in the substance, such as a bitter principle, which is any one of the numerous compounds having a bitter taste....
, but Basso rejected earth
Earth (classical element)
Earth, home and origin of humanity, has often been worshipped in its own right with its own unique spiritual tradition.-European tradition:Earth is one of the four classical elements in ancient Greek philosophy and science. It was commonly associated with qualities of heaviness, matter and the...
and water
Water (classical element)
Water is one of the elements in ancient Greek philosophy, in the Asian Indian system Panchamahabhuta, and in the Chinese cosmological and physiological system Wu Xing...
in his book, leaving his elemental theory as three Paracelsian principles. He opposed, though, the theory of "compounds", as admitted by Sennert, in the sense of mixtures having properties that were not properties of their atomistic constituents.
Further reading
- Roger Ariew, Descartes, Basson et la scolastique renaissante, in Descartes et la Renaissance, edited by E. Faye (Geneva: Slatkine, 1999), pp. 295–209.