Jacopo Zabarella

Giacomo (or Jacopo) Zabarella was an Italian Aristotelian philosopher and logician born on September 5, 1533, in Padua. He came from a noble Paduan family and received a humanist education. He entered the University of Padua, where he earned a doctorate in 1553. His notable teachers included Francesco Robortello in humanities, Bernardino Tomitano in logic, Marcantonio Genua in physics and metaphysics, and Pietro Catena in mathematics. Zabarella succeeded Tomitano in the chair of logic in 1564 and was later promoted to the first extraordinary chair of natural philosophy in 1577. He dedicated his entire teaching career to the University of Padua. His successor was Cesare Cremonini. Zabarella died in Padua on October 15, 1589, at the age of 56. His published works include *Opera logica* (1578), *Tabula logicae* (1578), and a commentary on Aristotle's *Posterior Analytics* (1582). His major work in natural philosophy, *De rebus naturalibus*, was published posthumously in 1590. He also consulted Greek commentators like Alexander of Aphrodisias and medieval scholars such as Thomas Aquinas and Averroes. Zabarella was known for his literacy in Greek, which allowed him to engage directly with Aristotle's texts.