Seeds (semina) in Early Modern Natural Philosophy

Introduction

The concept of “seeds” (semina) was developed in the stream of Renaissance Platonism and “chymical” (alchemical/chemical) philosophy from the late fifteenth century onward. Along with its related ideas such as “seminal principle” (principium seminale), it became in vogue during the late sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. This concept was employed to explain the origin of forms in the complex organization of natural bodies (not only animals and plants but also minerals and metals). It was a missing link between the medieval theory of “substantial form” (forma substantialis) and the modern mechanistic notion of “molecule” (molecula).

Major Trends

The genesis of the early modern concept of seeds owes much to the Florentine Platonist, Marsilio Ficino (1433–1499). He elaborated it on the basis of diverse currents of ancient philosophy. In his metaphysical universe, “nature” (natura) was located between the soul and the body of the world and was full of spiritual and...