Bonaventure's illumination theory

Abstract

The attainment of a certain knowledge constituted an important concern for philosophers and thinkers that contributed to influencing the formation of their doctrines. The purpose of this research is to clarify the philosophical and theological foundations which contributed to the formulation of the concept of illumination by Bonaventure, and the foundations of a theory of knowledge based on divine radiance. So the certain knowledge is subject to the conditions (infallibility of the knower and the immutability of the subject of knowledge) that are guaranteed only by the “higher truth” (God), and thus the “higher truth” first becomes the basis of existence, because the divine mind includes the ideals of all beings, and therefore the basis and standard of knowledge, because it is the guarantor of true and reliable knowledge, and the divine light that shines on the human mind, it enables it to perceive the real existence and attain immutable knowledge.