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© Cod. Cus. 83: Raymundi Lulli Opera, 1428 St- Nikolaus Hospital-Cusanusstif-Bibliothek,
Bernkastel-Kues.

The Lullian ‘Art of Finding Truth’: Nicholas of Cusa

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Here we present a Lullist author, the German philosopher Nicholas of Cusa (1401-1464). It is not known
exactly how Cusa first encountered Lull’s work; perhaps in Padua, in Cologne, in Basel or in Paris, where he
came into contact with Lullian codices and made notes. The Folio of the manuscript we present is one such
manuscript that was in his hands. The manuscript contains texts copied in the 14th century (the Ars
demonstrativa) and in the 15th century (fragments of some 50 titles).

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The Lullian ‘Art of Finding Truth’: Nicholas of Cusa - Understanding R... https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/ramon-llull/2/steps/203410

In this beautiful manuscript we can see several diagrams grouped together corresponding to Ramon Llull’s
Ars demonstrativa: the figures A, S, T, V, Y, Z, the figures of theology, philosophy, law, the periodic table…

If you look carefully, at the bottom of the right-hand page, you can see a diagram made with several levels of
paper. When the different levels are rotated, the figure moves, and it was intended that this would turn it into
an instrument of logical calculation. Note also the use of colour to differentiate the figures and at the same
time, in some cases, the groups of items within them.

© Universitat Pompeu Fabra

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Let's talk about the ars combinatoria discussion The Lullian ‘Art of Finding Truth’: Ivo Salzinger article

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See also

Nicholas of Cusa

Wikipedia, 2016. Nicholas of Cusa. [online][Accessed 2 November 2016].

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