The Complete History of Science

Perhaps the greatest orginal contribution to science in the medieval period was initiated at Merton College Oxford.  A group of scholars worked to mathematise nature and prove new theorems decribing motion.  Meanwhile in Paris, another scholar was working on a theory which undermined Aristotle's theories of motion and paved the way for Newtonian Mechanics.Support the showSupport the show: buymeacoffee.com/completehistoryofscience Contact: thecompletehistoryofscience@gmail.comBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/gethinrichards.bsky.socialMusic Credit: Folk Round Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

The podcast explores the rise of universities in Europe during the medieval period and their relationship with Aristotle's natural philosophy. It discusses the formation and development of universities in Bologna, Paris, and Oxford, the teaching structure and clash of philosophies in the medieval arts faculty, the struggle between conservative theologians and the teaching of Aristotle, and Thomas Aquinas' influence on the role of the Church and universities in science.

In the 12th century a young man set out in search of a book.  The Almagest, the great work of astronomy had disappeared from western Europe and had long ceased to be read.  The young man, Gerard, eventually found the work in Toledo, Spain and translated it into Latin.  This story however, is only part of a Europe wide movement, whereby many of the great Greek works would finally become available.  Support the showSupport the show: buymeacoffee.com/completehistoryofscience Contact: thecompletehistoryofscience@gmail.comBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/gethinrichards.bsky.socialMusic Credit: Folk Round Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

Scientific thought was rejuvenated in the 10th century as the Christians in the north came into contact with Islamic culture in Iberia.  Gerbert, a monk from Aurillac in Southern France played a key role in this process, introducing to Europe many innovations, such as the abacus,  the armillary sphere and new mathematics.  In doing so he revitalised teaching, particularly of the quadrivium and demonstrated to the Latins the advanced knowledge of the Greeks and Arabs. Support the showSupport the show: buymeacoffee.com/completehistoryofscience Contact: thecompletehistoryofscience@gmail.comBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/gethinrichards.bsky.socialMusic Credit: Folk Round Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

After the collapse of the Roman Empire, western Europe fractured into many small petty states.  A period of economic contraction coincided with a decline in learning and during the early medieval age Europe entered a nadir.  However, the church kept some form of ancient scientific thought alive and figures such as Isidore of Seville and the Venerable Bede worked to preserve this knowledge.  Support the showSupport the show: buymeacoffee.com/completehistoryofscience Contact: thecompletehistoryofscience@gmail.comBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/gethinrichards.bsky.socialMusic Credit: Folk Round Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

In the late 10th, early 11th century two great men debated the causes of natural phenomena.  One of them was the greatest philosopher of the age, Ibn Sina, who had refined Aristotle's philosophy into a finely honed system.  The other, al-Biruni,  was perhaps the greatest polymath of the age, who invented new fields of study and whose devotion to observation was unparalleled.  In a series of letters the two men clashed over large cosmological questions and everyday phenomena and their exchange stands as one the most important intellectual debates of the age.  Support the showSupport the show: buymeacoffee.com/completehistoryofscience Contact: thecompletehistoryofscience@gmail.comBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/gethinrichards.bsky.socialMusic Credit: Folk Round Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

While al-Haytham's visual theory was a clear triumph, his work also had a more subtle but profound effect.  His treatment of light as a quanitity which was related to but independent of vision was an important step on the path to our modern understanding of optics.  In this episode we explore the other parts of his 'Book of Optics' as well as the achievement of his forgotten contemporary Ibn Sahl.Support the showSupport the show: buymeacoffee.com/completehistoryofscience Contact: thecompletehistoryofscience@gmail.comBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/gethinrichards.bsky.socialMusic Credit: Folk Round Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

Tracing the emergence of medicine in the Islamic world and its embrace of Galen, this week's episode explores the progress made in treatments and anatomy by Islamic scientists.  Support the showSupport the show: buymeacoffee.com/completehistoryofscience Contact: thecompletehistoryofscience@gmail.comBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/gethinrichards.bsky.socialMusic Credit: Folk Round Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

The Greek Philosophers had long debated the nature of vision, without any definitive conclusion.  They were divided, between the belief that it was either a stimulus entering the eye or a visual ray projected from the eye.  This debate however, was finally settled by the great Hasan Ibn Al-Haytham, who developed the first modern theory of vision.  In this episode we explore Al-Haytham's optical work as one of the first great experimentalists who investigated the nature of light and his development of a new theory of perspective.  Support the showSupport the show: buymeacoffee.com/completehistoryofscience Contact: thecompletehistoryofscience@gmail.comBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/gethinrichards.bsky.socialMusic Credit: Folk Round Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

Astronomy was king of the sciences in the ancient world, but since the death of Ptolemy progress had all but stalled.  Fortunately astronomy was rediscovered by the Arabs, who undertook a huge translation of Greek work into Arabic.  This next generation of astronomers venerated Ptolemy but also surpassed him, improving upon his measurements and theories.  This episode examines this rediscovery and follows the broad developments in the Islamic world between the 9th and 11th century.Support the showSupport the show: buymeacoffee.com/completehistoryofscience Contact: thecompletehistoryofscience@gmail.comBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/gethinrichards.bsky.socialMusic Credit: Folk Round Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License