432. The Alexandrists. -- Averroïsm entered on a new and exciting phase, a phase of heated polemics, when PETRUS POMPONATIUS (Pomponazzi, 1464-1524) set up the Aristotelianism of Alexander of Aphrodisias in opposition to that of Averroës. After completing his studies at Padua, Pomponatius taught at Ferrara and Bologna. In his Tractatus de Immortalitate Animae (1516) and in the Defensorium, which contains his reply to Niphus, he contends that the substantial "informing" of the body by the soul, the materiality and mortality of the latter, and the evanescence of personality at death, are the genuine doctrines of Aristotle. He adopts the view of the Stoics on the relations between Providence and human liberty, and contends that reason has invented revelation (De Fato, Libero Arbitrio et Praedestitatione). Finally, in another treatise, De Incantationibus, he denies the existence of miracles, angels and demons, and attributes to the natural influence of the stars all the extraordinary phenomena that foster superstitions.

The daring and energetic attitude of Pomponatius secured him a considerable following. SIMON PORTA of Naples (fl. 1555), the Spaniard SEPULVEDA (fl. 1572) and JULIUS CAESAR SCALGIER (1484-1558) were the most noted among the Alexandrists.^{1}

{1} Three other admirers of Aristotle, JACOB ZARABELLA (1532-1589), FRANCESCO PICCOLOMINI (1520-1604) and CAESAR CREMONINI (1552-1631), are classified sometimes with the Alexandrists, sometimes with the Averroïsts: they borrowed theories from both sources. Cremonini, whose cult of Aristotle won for him the name of Aristoteles Redivivus, was intimate with Galileo, and it is told of him that he refused to look through the telescope for fear of finding Aristotle's Physics (Ch. III., § 7) at fault! Between Alexandrists and Averroïsts comes the figure of ANDREAS CAESALPINUS (1509-1603), who undertook the study of Aristotle in the original text, apart from all commentaries. But the pantheistic sort of cosmology expounded by him in his Quaestioues Aristotelica. and his Demonum Investigatio proves pretty plainly that his purism did not enable him to grasp the real thought of the Stagirite.