Sapientia v díle Rogera Bacona

This article presents a few reflections on wisdom, sapientia, as seen by Roger Bacon. Roger Bacon (1214‒1292), a famous Franciscan and Aristotelian physicist known for his experimental science, was deeply engaged in alchemy, theology, ethics and philosophy. Bacon's large works Opus maius, Opus minus, Opus tertium, designated for pope Clement IV, and other scriptures as Compendium studii philosophiae provide a sufficient base for studying his concept of wisdom, sapientia. Bacon frequently uses the term sapientia as a synonym for philosophia both having its origin from God. Bacon, influenced by Josephus Flavius, Saint Augustine and the author of Pseudo-Aristotelian Secretum secretorum, was preoccupied with the level of wisdom in the Latin culture of 13th century. Unlike other cultures of wisdom – the Jews, the Greeks, the Arabians – Bacon was convinced that the Latini lacked books and, above all, the true comprehension of original texts. Therefore, he ardently recommended studying foreign languages, which he calls "the first entrance to wisdom". The reasons for studying languages are described and enumerated e.g. in the Compendium studii philosophiae. Wisdom according to Bacon is a kind of mutually connected knowledge, sapientia totalis, bearing resemblance to science.