Medieval Science, Magic, and Wonders of Nature

9 units · Undergraduate

Intermittent: 9 units Why do monsters exist and lurk on the margins of our maps? What do animals symbolize—are they God's creations or merely arrangements of the elements? What is the meaning behind a comet—it is natural, a miracle, or something far more sinister? Contrary to popular belief, people in the Middle Ages asked themselves questions about the world around them and sought definitive answers. This course explores the shifting boundaries between science, magic, and religion as defined by thinkers residing in medieval Europe and the Mediterranean between 500 and 1500 C.E. Their observations—and sometimes, experimentations—laid the foundation for the philosophy of nature, which in turn became science as we know it today. In particular, we will address the medieval universe and its cosmology; the physical world and the supernatural; the rationale behind transmutations in alchemy and shapeshifting; the invisible and sacred forces in the heavens and from planetary bodies; contemporary attitudes towards medicine and the human body; and the cross-cultural exchange of knowledge within Christian, Islamic, and Jewish circles of scholarship. We will examine works ranging from grimoire to lab-notes, including those authored by Plato, Pliny the Elder, Hildegard von Bingen, Ibn Rushd, Bernard Silvester, and Roger Bacon. As a final project, students will research their own medieval artifact that will be showcased as part of the class's digital "cabinet" of collected curiosities and, ultimately, wonder. This course is open to all students, requires no prerequisites, and may be used to fulfill one of the elective requirements for the Religious Studies and/or Science, Technology and Society minors.