Download Science and Faith The Central Role of the Church Emergence of a

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Science and Faith
The Central Role of the Church
nKey to all medieval culture--not just religion
n“Secularization”
Secularization” is the process by which Church influence diminishes -- a
long process in European history
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Emergence of a Christian philosophy-4th & 5th centuries
nSt. Augustine
uPlatonic philosophy an attractive foundation--concern with ‘souls’
souls’ and the
ideal
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The Arab Contribution
nIslam the greatest influence on European thought in the early Middle Ages
nIslam valued and preserved writings from classical antiquity, particularly
those of Aristotle
nIslam placed real value on natural philosophy
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The Arab Contribution
nMathematics
nOptics
nCommentaries on Greek science
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Mathematics
n“A” and “Al”
Al” words:
uAlgebra
uArithmetic
uAlgorithm
nThe Zero adopted from Hindu mathematics-- resulting in “Arabic”
Arabic” numerals
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Optics
nMost important experimental contributions
nAl-Hazen (965-1038)
ustudied the structure of the eye and made observations on the properties
of mirrors.
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Transmission of Greek science
nThe most important of the Arabic contributions to European science
nTransmission of key authors, with influential commentaries
uAverroë
Averroës (1125-1198)
tAristotle, with commentaries
uAvicenna (980-1037)
tGalen (medicine)
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Twelfth Century--Period of transmission
• The Crusades begin
u1st Crusade, 1096-1099 [Jerusalem captured, but lost some years later]
u2nd Crusade, 1147-1149 [a complete failure]
u3rd Crusade, 1189-1192 [some short term success]
nArabic retreat from Europe
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The Translators
nGerard of Cremona (ca. 1175)
nMichael Scot (ca. 1220)
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Universities
nBegin with cathedral schools
uChartres
nPermanent universities
uOxford
uPadua
uParis
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Assimilation of Aristotle--Scholasticism
nAlbertus Magnus (c.1206-1280)
nSt. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
nEffort to find harmony between Christian dogma and Aristotelian philosophy
nRespect for observation, but superiority of revelation
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Experimentalism
nOptics
nMagnetism
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Experimentalists
nRobert Grosseteste (c.1168-1253)
uoptics
nPierre di Maricourt [Peter Perigrinus]
Perigrinus] (mid-13th century)
umagnets
nRoger Bacon (c.1214-1294)
uWide range of experiments
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Oxford School (Nominalism)
n“Names are names; things are things”
things”
nJust giving a name to something does not explain it
uDuns Scotus
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uWilliam of Ockham
• “Ockham’
Ockham’s Razor”
Razor”
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Paris School
nJean Buridan (c.1297-1358)
nNicolas Oresme (1320-1382)
t“Impetus”
Impetus”
tQuantitative explanations
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Question:
nHow did the Christian Church promote the development of Natural
Philosophy (Science) in the Middle Ages?
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