1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910154981403321

Autore

French R. K (Roger Kenneth)

Titolo

Before science : the invention of the friars' natural philosophy / / Roger French and Andrew Cunningham

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Abingdon, Oxon : , : Routledge, , 2016

ISBN

1-351-95590-X

1-315-26172-3

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (311 pages) : illustrations, photographs, map

Altri autori (Persone)

CunninghamAndrew

Disciplina

189

Soggetti

Philosophy of nature - History

Friars

Philosophy, Medieval

Science, Medieval

Nature - Religious aspects - Catholic Church - History of doctrines - Middle Ages, 600-1500

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

First published 1996 by Ashgate Publishing.

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Nota di contenuto

1. Philosophy and true philosophy -- 2. The air of towns -- 3. Sapientia and scientia : the cloister and the school -- 4. Nature before the friars -- 5. Heresy and Dominic -- 6. The evil and good world -- 7. Conquest and re-education -- 8. Dominican education -- 9. Fiat lux! Let there be light! -- 10. Et facta est lux! And there was light! -- 11. Epilogue.

Sommario/riassunto

The opposition of science and religion is a recent phenomenon; in the middle ages, and indeed until the middle of the nineteenth century, there was almost no conflict. In the Middle Ages the objective study of nature - the activity we now call science - was largely the province of religious men. This book looks at the origins of western science and the central role played by the Dominican and Franciscan friars. It explains why these two groups devoted so much intellectual effort to the study of physical and biological phenomena, and distinguishes 'Natural Philosophy' from 'science' as presently understood. Though the friars were recognisably 'scientific' in their approach their motives were religious - they wished to understand the mind of God and the beauty of God's nature. Even so, as this study makes clear, the roots of



western science lie in the monasteries and refuges of the medieval friars - the direct forebears of the anti-scientific Popes of the age of Copernicus and Galileo.