Philosophia sensibus demonstrata

work by Campanella

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July 23, 2026

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Philosophia sensibus demonstrata, meaning "Philosophy Demonstrated by the Senses," is a work by Tommaso Campanella published in 1591. This book reflects the influence of Bernardino Telesio, an opponent of Scholastic Aristotelianism, and emphasizes the necessity of human experience as the foundation for philosophy. This perspective aligns with sensationalism, a form of empiricism that posits sensation or sense perceptions as the sole source of knowledge. Campanella's work stressed an empirical approach to philosophy, contrasting with the deductive reasoning favored by some earlier philosophers.123

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Tommaso Campanella
…1589 to Naples, where his Philosophia sensibus demonstrata (1591; “Philosophy Demonstrated by the Senses”) was published. Reflecting Telesio’s concern for an empirical approach to philosophy, it stressed the necessity for human experience as a basis for philosophy. The work resulted in his arrest, trial, and brief imprisonment for heresy. On…
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…1589 to Naples, where his Philosophia sensibus demonstrata (1591; “Philosophy Demonstrated by the Senses”) was published. Reflecting Telesio’s concern for an empirical approach to philosophy, it stressed the necessity for human experience as a basis for philosophy. The work resulted in his arrest, trial, and brief imprisonment for heresy. On…
Read More