Johann von Wowern

Summary

Johann von Wowern was a German statesman, philologist, and lawyer. He is known for his 1603 work De Polymathia tractatio: integri operis de studiis veterum, [1] the first work in Western Europe to use the term "polymath" in its title.[2][3][4] Wowern defined polymathy as "knowledge of various matters, drawn from all kinds of studies ... ranging freely through all the fields of the disciplines, as far as the human mind, with unwearied industry, is able to pursue them".[2] Von Wowern lists erudition, literature, philology, philomathy and polyhistory as synonyms.

Johann von Wowern
A portrait of Johann von Wowern by Frans Denys
A portrait of Johann von Wowern by Frans Denys
Born(1574-03-10)10 March 1574
Died30 March 1612(1612-03-30) (aged 38)
NationalityGerman (Brabant/Hamburg)
Notable workDe Polymathia tractatio: integri operis de studiis veterum

References edit

  1. ^ "Johann von Wowern - Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek". www.deutsche-digitale-bibliothek.de. Retrieved 2020-05-19.
  2. ^ a b Murphy, Kathryn (2014). "Robert Burton and the problems of polymathy". Renaissance Studies. 28 (2): 279. doi:10.1111/rest.12054.
  3. ^ Burke, Peter (2011). "O polímata: a história cultural e social de um tipo intellectual". Leitura: Teoria & Prática. ISSN 0102-387X.
  4. ^ Wower, Johann (1665). De Polymathia tractatio: integri operis de studiis veterum.

External links edit

  Media related to Jan van den Wouwer at Wikimedia Commons