A Source Book in Medieval Science

Auteur
Edward Grant is Professor of History of Science, Emeritus, at Indiana University, Bloomington.

Texte du rabat

Modern scholarship has exposed the intrinsic importance of medieval science and confirmed its role in preserving and transmitting Greek and Arabic achievements. This "Source Book" offers a rare opportunity to explore more than ten centuries of European scientific thought. In it are approximately 190 selections by about 85 authors, most of them from the Latin West. Nearly half of the selections appear here for the first time in any vernacular translation.
The readings, a number of them complete treatises, have been chosen to represent "science" in a medieval rather than a modern sense. Thus, insofar as they are relevant to medieval science, selections have been drawn from works on alchemy, astrology, logic, and theology. Most of the book, however, reflects medieval understanding of, and achievements in, the mathematical, physical, and biological sciences. Critical commentary and annotation accompany the selections. An appendix contains brief biographiesof all authors.
This book will be an indispensible resource for students and scholars in the history of science.

Résumé
This Source Book explores a millennium of European scientific thought accompanied by critical commentary and annotation; nearly half the selections appear for the first time in the vernacular. Representing science in the medieval sense, selections include alchemy, astrology, logic, and theology as well as mathematics, physics, and biology.

Contenu

PART I: EARLY MIDDLE AGES The Latin Encyclopedists 1. On the Quadrivium, or Four Mathematical Sciences Isidore of Seville 2. On Arithmetic Boethius 3. On the Universe and Its Parts Isidore of Seville 4. On the Order of the Planets Macrobius 5. On the Motion of Mercury and Venus Around the Sun a. Chalcidius b. Martianus Capella 6. On Ocean and Tides Macrobius PART II: LATER MIDDLE AGES The Translation of Greek and Arabic Science into Latin 7. A List of Translations Made from Arabic into Latin in the Twelfth Century Gerard of Cremona 8. A List of Translations Made from Greek into Latin in the Thirteenth Century William of Moerbeke The Reaction of the Universities and Theological Authorities to Aristotelian Science and Natural Philosophy 9. The Condemnation of Aristotle's Books on Natural Philosophy in 1210 at Paris 10. The Command to Expurgate Aristotle's Books on Natural Philosophy (1231) 11. The Natural Books of Aristotle in the Arts Curriculum at the University of Paris in 1255 12. Statute of the Faculty of Arts Drastically Curtailing the Discussion of Theological Questions (1272) 13. The Condemnation of 1277: A Selection of Articles Relevant to the History of Medieval Science 14. An Objection to Theological Restrictions in the Discussion of a Scientific Question John Buridan 15. An Assessment of Buridan's Objections Ludovicus (Luis) Coronel Classification of the Sciences Introduction Edward Grant 16. Classification of the Sciences Hugh of St. Victor 17. Classification of the Sciences Domingo Gundisalvo Logic Introduction John E. Murdoch 18. On Terms, "Suppositio," and Consequences William of Ockham Mathematics 19. On the Importance of Studying Mathematics Roger Bacon A. ARITHMETIC 20. Arabic Numerals and Arithmetic Operations in the Most Popular Algorism of the Middle Ages John of Sacrobosco 21. Propositions from a Theoretical Arithmetic Jordanus of Nemore B. ALGEBRA 22. Six Types of Rhetorical Algebraic Equations Al-Khwarizmi 23. Algebraic Propositions from the Treatise On Given Numbers Jordanus of Nemore C. NUMBER THEORY, PROBABILITY, AND INFINITE SERIES 24. Number Theory and Indeterminate Analysis Leonardo of Pisa (Fibonacci) 25. A Proposition on Mathematical Probability Nicole Oresme 26. Infinite Series Nicole Oresme D. PROPORTIONS 27. The Definitions of Book V of Euclid's Elements in a Thirteenth-Century Version, and Commentary Campanus of Novara 28. An Algorism of Ratios: Manipulation of Rational Exponents Nicole Oresme 29. Rational and Irrational Exponents Distinguished Nicole Oresme E. GEOMETRY 30. On the Division of Figures Leonardo of Pisa (Fibonacci) 3l. Two Medieval Versions of Archimedes' Quadrature of the Circle a. The Abbreviated Version of Pseudo-Bradwardine b. The Question of Albert of Saxony on the Quadrature of the Circle 32. The Trisection of an Angle a. Banu Musa b. Jordanus of Nemore 33. Constructions from an Applied Geometry Dominicus de Clavasio F. TRIGONOMETRY 34. Trigonometry of the Sine Richard of Wallingford Typical Scientific Questions Based on Aristotle's Major Physical Treatises Introduction Edward Grant 35. Questions on the Eight Books of Aristotle's Physics Albert of Saxony 36. Questions on the Four Books of Aristotle's On the Heavens (De caelo) John Buridan 37. Questions on the Two Books of Aristotle's On Generation and Corruption Albert of Saxony 38. Questions on The Four Books of Aristotle's Meteorologica Themon, Son of the Jew Physics A. STATICS, OR "THE SCIENCE OF WEIGHTS" Introduction Edward Grant 39. On the Theory of Weight Jordanus of Nemore B. MOTION 40. What is Motion? William of Ockham C. KINEMATICS 41. The Reduction of Curvilinear Velocities to Uniform Rectilinear Velocities Gerard of Brussels 42. Uniform and Nonuniform Motion and the Merton College Mean Speed Theorem William of Heytesbury 43. The Configuration of Qualities and Motions, Including a Geometric Proof of the Mean Speed Theorem Nicole Oresme D. DYNAMICS 44. Does Finite and Temporal Motion Require a Resistant Medium? The Responses of Averroes and Avempace in Comment 71 a. The Text of Aristotle b. Averroes' Expositio on the Text 45. The Mover or Cause in Natural Motion Averroes 46. The Medieval Aristotelian Principle of Motion: "Whatever Is Moved Is Moved by Another" St. Thomas Aquinas 47. External and Internal Resistances to Motion Albert of Saxony 48. The Impetus Theory of Projectile Motion John Buridan 49. On the Cause of Acceleration of Free-falling Bodies John Buridan 50. In Opposition to Aristotle: Contrary Motions Can Be Continuous without an Intervening Moment of Rest a. Marsilius of Inghen b. Galileo Galilei 51. Mathematical Representations of Motion a. Thomas Bradwardine: "Bradwardine's Function" and the Repudiation of Four Opposition Theories on Proportions of Motion b. Nicole Oresme: Extended Application of "Bradwardine's Function" E. ATOMISM 52. The Development and Criticism of Atomism in the Later Middle Ages a. Thomas Bradwardine b. Algazel c. John Duns Scotus d. Henry of Harclay and William of Alnwick F. ON VACUUM 53. Nature Abhors a Vacuum a. Albert of Saxony: A Natural Vacuum Denied b. John Buridan: Experiments Demonstrating that Nature Abhors a Vacuum c. Marsilius of Inghen: Experiments Demonstrating that Nature Abhors a Vacuum d. Galileo Galilei: Experiments Demonstrating that Nature Abhors a Vacuum 54. Nature Does Not Abhor a Vacuum Blaise Pascal 55. Motion in a Hypothetical Void a. St. Thomas Aquinas: A Kinematic Argument for Finite Motion in a Hypothetical Void b. Albert of Saxony: Dynamic Arguments Justifying Motion in a Hypothetical Void c. Galileo Galilei: His Earliest Law of Motion and His Arguments for Finite Velocity in a Void d. Thomas Bradwardine: Unequal Homogeneous Bodies Fall with Equal Velocity in a Vacuum e. Albert of Saxony: Unequal Homogeneous Bodies Fall with Equal Velocity in a Vacuum f. Galileo Galilei: Unequal Homogeneous Bodies Fall with Equal Velocity in a Vacuum 56. On Interstitial Vacua a. Marsilius of Inghen: Explanation of Condensation and Rarefaction, and Denial of Interstitial Vacua b. Nicholas of Autrecourt: The Existence of Interstitial Vacua Affirmed c. Galileo Galilei: The Existence of Interstitial Vacua Affirmed G. MEASUREMENT OF FORCES 57. On Maximum and Minimum Powers John Buridan H. MAGNETISM 58. An Encyclopedist's Description of the Magnet Bartholomew the Englishman 59. The First Systematic Description in Eur…