SC / NATS 1760 - Lecture 5 – Medieval Science
Introduction
- 10 centuries of history, end of the Classical period to end of the medieval period
- What happens to science in this long span of time?
- Greek natural philosophy, in techniques and ideas, decays, is transmitted across
cultures, it recovers and eventually transforms
- Recovering the classical world view, adapting it Feudalism and religion
Classical World View
- No religious explanations, exclusion of trades and labour, breaking down nature
into components (elements, atoms), the importance of numbers, observation,
classification and logic, theories of the elements, the causes, geocentric
astronomical theories
From Classical to Feudal Civilization
- Western Roman Empire falls, institutions and technologies, decentralized
economic and political system
- Large-scale technologies, long-range technologies
- Wealthy (plutocrats or barbarians), estate owning class, peasants
- Land and tools in exchange for rent, tax or service on crops
- Feudal demands on science, classical world view sufficed
- Production more widespread and closer to people
- Subsistence economy, increased technological innovation, labour shortages
- Feudal need for science given mode of production
Outside Europe
- Dark Ages, Greek natural philosophy in India, Persia, Central Asia and China,
economic and cultural success
- Trade networks, manufacturing industry for luxury items
o Manufacturing innovations (e.g. looms, printing) from China to West
- Science thrived in India, China and Persia, mathematics, astronomy and medicine
Religious Factors
- Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism and Hinduism
- Priesthood, fixed rituals, belief in the order of the universe, sacred books,
contributed to literacy, open to all, social and natural order, afterlife
- Christianity and oppression, Aristotelian and Platonic ideas
- Christianity as a cultural institution: literacy, education, administration and law
- Initially diffuse, centralized authority (Pope, bishops), incorporated into the state
- Mystical neo-Platonic theories of the soul and Christian doctrine
- Greek philosophies integrated, observation and experiment ignored
- Treating scripture as authoritative about natural philosophy held up scientific
advance
- Feudal economy did not necessitate change in Church views
- Christian sects, spread of medical and astronomical knowledge
-
Syria, Egypt and India, Hindu introduction of the number zero
Islamic and medieval science involved a reinvestigation of classical sources,
reinterpreted and expanded on the basis of their experience
Crafts knowledge, Medieval period and Renaissance
Islamic Influences
- The rise of Islam: widespread literacy, common religion, common culture, social
stability, trade in goods and ideas
- No new economic system, mercantilist, minimized slavery, no centralization of
power
- Use of Chinese technologies: steel, silk, paper and porcelain
- Religion less restrictive of natural philosophy
- Arabic translation, Greek history, poetry, drama, science and philosophy
- Encyclopedias popular, inclusion of ideas from many cultures
- Islamic scholars critical of Classical ideas, astrology and alchemy.
- Islamic scientists most often doctors, supported by state or wealthy merchants,
secular and commercial focus
- Doctrine of “two truths”: one spiritual and one rational
- Astrology, astronomy and mathematics, Hindu number system
- Observational astronomy, diseases of the eye, optics, eyeglasses, foundation for
telescopes, microscopes and cameras
- Islamic scholars and practical knowledge, chemistry, distillation
- Production of soda, alum and other salts, textiles
- Medieval Christianity adopted the science of the Greeks, transformed by Islamic
scholars into something more complex and wide reaching