ZIMARA, MARCO ANTONIO. - Philosopher and physician, b. at S. Pietro in Galatina (Lecce) in 1460, d. at Padova in 1523.
Z.'s works occupy a prominent place in the Averroist culture of the Paduan school. Besides useful glossaries such as the Tabula et dilucidaciones in dicta Aristotelis et Averrois and the Theoremata seu memorabilium propositionum limitationes, he wrote In libros tres Aristotelis De anima commentarii (Venezia 1533), in which he attempts a Christian reconciliation among the various doctrines concerning the immortality (v.) and individuality of the soul. He polemicizes against realist interpretations of Aristotle and gives a Platonic formulation to the relation between sense and intellect, the former regarded as a passive faculty, the latter as possessing its own «effetrix» nature. In his glosses on the Questiones super parvis naturalibus of Giov. Gianduno, he posits form as the principle of individuation (v.) and individual (v.). He also dealt with problems concerning medicine. He compiled a vast collection of prescriptions, Antrum magico-medicum etc., in which he combines magical-astrological contrivances with religious and eschatological intuitions.