Overview
Part of the book series: Boston Studies in the Philosophy and History of Science (BSPS, volume 135)
Access this book
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Other ways to access
About this book
The attribution of the Speculum Astronomiae to Albertus Magnus became a controversial issue only recently, when the great neo-Thomist historian Pierre Mandonnet suggested -- without any antecedents -- that the author was Roger Bacon rather than Albert. Mandonnet's theses were refuted by Lynn Thorndike and have since then been the subject of widespread discussion.
The present historiographical case-study considers this debate in the light of an analysis of texts by Albert himself, as well as other important authors, such as Bacon, Bonaventura, Thomas Aquinas, Witelo, Campanus of Novara, and others, which shows how widespread the general concept of the influence of the stars and other astrological ideas to be found in the Speculum were. Most of the scientific ideas of the Middle Ages were based on principles derived from the notion of celestial influence and its consequences. The Speculum drew the fundamental outlines of this discipline into a theoretical and bibliographical introduction -- no small achievement -- and was consequently greeted with great interest and used as a standard reference book for many centuries. Set against the background of discussions taking place in the 1260s, within the Dominican Order as well as in the Faculties of Arts, Zambelli removes all doubt that the Speculum was written by Albert, possibly with some collaboration.
The present historiographical case-study considers this debate in the light of an analysis of texts by Albert himself, as well as other important authors, such as Bacon, Bonaventura, Thomas Aquinas, Witelo, Campanus of Novara, and others, which shows how widespread the general concept of the influence of the stars and other astrological ideas to be found in the Speculum were. Most of the scientific ideas of the Middle Ages were based on principles derived from the notion of celestial influence and its consequences. The Speculum drew the fundamental outlines of this discipline into a theoretical and bibliographical introduction -- no small achievement -- and was consequently greeted with great interest and used as a standard reference book for many centuries. Set against the background of discussions taking place in the 1260s, within the Dominican Order as well as in the Faculties of Arts, Zambelli removes all doubt that the Speculum was written by Albert, possibly with some collaboration.
Similar content being viewed by others
Keywords
Table of contents (13 chapters)
-
Front Matter
-
Discussions on Astronomy at the Time of Albert
-
Front Matter
-
-
Traditions, Collections and Heritage
-
Front Matter
-
-
Back Matter
Authors and Affiliations
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: The Speculum Astronomiae and Its Enigma
Book Subtitle: Astrology, Theology and Science in Albertus Magnus and his Contemporaries
Authors: Paola Zambelli
Series Title: Boston Studies in the Philosophy and History of Science
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-3467-7
Publisher: Springer Dordrecht
-
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive
Copyright Information: Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 1992
Hardcover ISBN: 978-0-7923-1380-9Published: 30 April 1992
Softcover ISBN: 978-90-481-4098-5Published: 15 December 2010
eBook ISBN: 978-94-017-3467-7Published: 21 December 2013
Series ISSN: 0068-0346
Series E-ISSN: 2214-7942
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XVI, 352
Topics: History, general, Medieval Philosophy, Non-Western Philosophy, Philosophy of Science