Medieval Physical Science Thought -- Cambridge History of Science Series

Author: [US] Grant, translated by Hao Liuxiang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-01-01
Features: This book is part of the Cambridge History of Science series, focusing on the history of medieval physical science thought. The history of medieval science is the history of the transmission, assimilation, and revision of ancient Greek science as it spread from the Roman and Byzantine Empires to the Islamic world and then to Western Europe. This book does not provide a comprehensive account of this process but instead paints a clear and vivid picture of the history of ancient Greek science being reintroduced to Western Europe. The book is divided into five chapters:
Chapter 1 briefly describes the state of science in Western Europe from the late Roman Empire to the year 1000;
Chapter 2 focuses on the major translation activities that introduced Greek science into Latin Europe through the Arab world;
Chapter 3 not only presents the stage of medieval science in Western Europe—the medieval university—but also allows us to witness an exciting drama played out on this stage—the struggle between Greek science, particularly Aristotle's system, and Christian theology;
Chapter 4 and Chapter 5 specifically discuss the physics and cosmological thought of the Aristotelian school in the late medieval period. The assimilation and revision of Aristotle's system by late medieval scholastic scholars not only established the tradition of reason and science in Western Europe but also created the conditions for the scientific revolution of the 16th–17th centuries. Finally, the book includes a detailed bibliography to guide readers in further research. This book is suitable for teaching and research personnel engaged in the study of the history of science, philosophy, and intellectual history, as well as a broad readership interested in cultural history.