“Let Someone Who is Not a Mathematician Not Read Me” (Natural-Scientific Views in the Works of Leonardo da Vinci)

Introduction. It is noted the originality of Leonardo da Vinci’s natural-scientific views in the context of the Renaissance. The objectives of the article are outlined: the systematization of Leonardo’s natural-scientific views, the identification of methods used by him to cognize the reality, the analysis of the set of social conditions that influenced the formation of the thinker’s views. It is also indicated the relevance of the researched argument; the object and subject of the study are determined. Materials and Methods. It is indicated that the main source used in the article are the notes of Leonardo, reflecting his ideas about nature. The methods used in the study are related to the specifics of this source: a concrete historical approach, a comparative historical method, logical and textual methods. Results. The circumstances that gave rise to an interest in natural-scientific problems are indicated – painting and its interpretation as a reflection of the real world, on the one hand; good mathematical training received by Leonardo in his youth, on the other. It is proved, using primary sources, that Leonardo da Vinci considered experience to be the main method of cognition, and the ultimate goal of cognitive activity was the practical application of knowledge. The peculiarity of the humanistic orientation of Leonardo’s thought is revealed. On the basis of primary sources, the thinker’s ideas about nature, human, and the purpose of science are revealed. It is shown how Christian ideas and the humanistic Renaissance view were combined in a peculiar way in the views of the thinker. Attention is drawn to the inconsistency of Leonardo da Vinci’s relationship with Christianity. Discussion and Conclusion. It is shown the significance of Leonardo’s philosophical views, his role in the history of philosophy as a predecessor of the empiricist philosophers of Modern Time. It is noted that the comprehensive activity of the thinker, in fact, embodied the ideal of a person, great creative opportunities that feed, firstly, the desire to fully know the world and, secondly, the awareness of the usefulness of their activities for others. It is noted that the cultivation of these motivations has a huge educational potential in our time.