Benedict Pereira

Benedict Pereira (1536 to 1610), also written Benet Perera or Pererius, was a Spanish Jesuit philosopher, theologian and biblical commentator, born at Ruzafa near Valencia. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1552 and taught literature, philosophy, theology and sacred scripture in Rome, where he died. His main philosophical work was De communibus omnium rerum naturalium principiis et affectionibus, in fifteen books, printed at Rome in 1576. His Genesis commentary of 1591 to 1599 is a rich source on the Deluge, Noah's Ark and the Tower of Babel, and he also wrote on Daniel, Exodus, Romans, the Apocalypse and the Gospel of John. At the Collegio Romano he opposed Christopher Clavius on the nature of mathematics, arguing that mathematical demonstrations lack the force of demonstrations from true causes.