The limits of reasoning and the possibilities of faith in Joan Lluís Vives

Abstract

The present paper addresses shortly a philosophical question that is very present in the works of the Valencian humanist Joan Lluís Vives: the limits of reason to understand the world and the possibilities of faith and religion as tools to overcome such limitation. In order to exemplify and reflect on this issue, an eclectic work such as the Introductio ad sapientiam (1524) is taken as a starting point; then some passages and thoughts taken from De disciplinis, De anima et uita, and De ueritate fidei Christianae are examined.

Keywords: faith, knowledge, limit, reason, religion, (Joan Lluís) Vives, wisdom.