Via lucis (Comenius)
Via lucis ( German : The Path of Light ) is a short description of the pansophy that Johann Amos Comenius wrote during his stay in London between 1641 and 1642. Here he has summarized his suggestions for all improvement ( Panorthosia ) of humanity, which he later presented in detail in the (unfinished) work De rerum humanarum emendatione consultatio catholica .
Comenius summarizes the content of his 22 chapters in the long subtitle of the first printed edition ( Amsterdam , 1668):
“THE WAY OF LIGHT. Partly already located, partly still to be located,
d. H. A reasonable investigation into the way in which the spiritual LIGHT of souls, WISDOM, can now finally, at the evening time of the world, be successfully spread through the spirit of all people and all nations.
A little book written in England twenty-six years ago, now printed and sent back to England. In the year of salvation MDCLXVIII. "
Emergence
In 1641 Comenius went on a lecture tour to England . He was invited by a group of English scholars around Samuel Hartlib to discuss his pansophic thoughts. During this 9-month stay in London, he wrote the Via Lucis in Latin . The work was not printed until 1668 in Amsterdam. Comenius gave the impetus for publication when the Royal Society was founded in London in 1660. In the detailed foreword, Comenius welcomed the activities of the society, but warned against a one-sided mathematical and scientific orientation. Comenius dedicated the book to the Royal Society and sent 4 copies to London.
The book was not translated into other languages until the 20th century: in Czech by Josef Šmaha (Prague, 1920), in English by ET Campagnac (London, 1938), in Dutch (Amsterdam, 1992), in German by Uwe Voigt (Hamburg , 1997).
content
Only the light of wisdom, only the enlightenment of all humanity through education, upbringing and enlightenment, can overcome the moral misery of the world, ignorance, confusion and war. People as co-workers of God are called upon to strive for this light, to work to improve the ecclesiastical and political order, and thus to prepare for the arrival of a just and perfect age, the Kingdom of Christ . For this enlightenment of the world, Comenius offers the path of pansophy (omniscience or omniscience), which makes use of all previous inventions and discoveries, including those of seafaring and printing. According to Comenius, a new world language must be written for international exchange that is better and more versatile than Latin. Scholars of all peoples should participate in this global reform, their activities should be coordinated by a Collegium of Light (Collegium Lucis) based in London. With his pansophy, Comenius gave Bacon's reflections on human progress a decisive step forward through scientific development.
Comenius is convinced that truth armed with light has an indomitable power . (Ch. XX, 12) In his vision of the future just world, he ties in with Old Testament promises of the future kingdom of peace. He writes: Then there will be universal peace all over the world. The hostilities will be lifted on all sides, but also the reasons for this hostility, the disagreements among people. For there will be nothing to disagree about once everyone sees the same truths clearly. ... The peoples will turn their swords into plowshares and their spears into sickles. No nation will lift up the sword against the other, and they will no longer learn to wage war. ( Micha 4,3 LUT ) ( Isaiah 2,4 LUT ) Everyone will dwell under his vine and fig tree, and no one will frighten them. ( Micah 4,4 LUT ) (chap. XX, 13)
literature
- The book in German: Johann Amos Comenius: Der Weg des Lichtes, Via Lucis. Introduced, translated and annotated by Uwe Voigt . Meiner, Hamburg 1997, ISBN 3-7873-1240-4 (268 pages).
- Jan Amos Komenský: Via Lucis, Vestigata et vestiganda . In: Dílo Jana Amose Komenského - Johannis Amos Comenii opera omnia. Vol. 14. Academia, Praha 1974, pp. 279-385 ( online ).
- Jan Kumpera: Jan Amos Komenský, Poutník na rozhraní věků (= Johann Amos Comenius [Ed.]: Wanderer in the upheaval of times ). Amosium Servis, Ostrava 1992, ISBN 80-85498-03-0 , p. 309-310 (Czech, 372 pp.).
Individual evidence
- ^ Johann Amos Comenius: De rerum humanarum emendatione consultatio catholica - General advice on the improvement of human affairs . In: Dmytro Čyževsʹkyj (ed.): Pampaedia . Quelle & Meyer, Heidelberg 1960. Latin text and German translation.
- ↑ a b German based on: Johann Amos Comenius: The way of light, Via lucis. Introduced, translated and annotated by Uwe Voigt . Meiner, Hamburg 1997, ISBN 3-7873-1240-4 (268 pages).