The trinity of the concept according to Nicholas of Cusa

Abstract

In the first chapter of his “De coniecturis”, Nicholas of Cusa asks about the origin of conjecture and, in so doing, enters on a discussion about the human mind as the origin of the conceptual world. This paper presents some conclusions of the author’s recent research regarding Cusa’s understanding of mind. Since the finite mind is an image of a trinitarian principle for Cusa, it must itself be triune, which triune character is generative of multiplicity. The meaning and implications of this notion are explored in three parts. In the first part, the sixth paragraph of Part 1 of the “De coniecturis” is analyzed. According to this text, the human mind organizes the alterity of the world in three ways: multitudo, inaequalitas and divisio. In the second part, an explanation of these three ways is developed on the basis of other texts of Cusa, in particular the tenth chapter of “De mente”, which bears the title “Apprehension of truth is in terms of multitude and magnitude.” The third part of the paper highlights the function of both notions: multitudo and magnitudo as necessary modes of comprehension of the finite mind’s creative capacity and, as such, forming the structure of every concept.