Patronage as a Means to End a University Controversy: The Conclusion of Two Cartesian Disputes at Frankfurt on Oder (1656 and 1660)

In 1660, the Polish Cartesian of Bohemian origin, Johannes Placentinus (the Latinized form of Jan Kołaczek) (Leszno ca. 1629 – Frankfurt an der Oder 1683) announced his support for a synthesis of the new philosophy of Descartes, by publishing in Frankfurt an der Oder a book entitled Dissertatio philosophica, exhibens modum praecavendi errorem in veritati philosophicae, imprimis naturalis inquisitione atque dijudicatione, iuxta principia Renati des Cartes [Philosophical dissertation, showing the manner to avoid error in philosophical truth, especially in the investigation and judgement of nature in accordance with the principles of René Descartes]. I here take into consideration two university controversies over the legitimacy of Cartesian philosophy. Both ended through an external appeal to powerful patrons. The first one pitted Placentinus against Frankfurt philosophers and theologians who disdained his Cartesian convictions. It particularly concerned cosmological issues, but was also extended to a more general conflict over the reconcilability of the Aristotelian legacy with Cartesian innovations. It ended in 1656 with Placentinus’ appointment as court mathematician. The second controversy originated at a distance. It was sparked off by attacks from professors and students of the Saxony University of Wittenberg against Placentinus’ pseudo-Cartesian conceptions on the origin of life from the stars. The controversy unfolded through disputations which were printed and defended at Frankfurt and Wittenberg. Placentinus’ publication of the Dissertatio philosophica of 1660 dedicated to Montecuccoli and Strozzi marked the conclusion of this polemic.