Texts and Contexts in Ancient and Medieval Science: Studies on the Occasion of John E. Murdoch’s Seventieth Birthday

These studies respond to the challenge posed twenty years ago by John E. Murdoch, in whose honor they have been assembled: to interpret ancient and medieval mathematical and scientific texts not just as isolated intellectual productions but as responses to particular settings or contexts. Two broad settings are explored here: that of the wider intellectual culture, where relations among mathematics, astronomy, natural philosophy - and also theology, logic and astrology - are shown to have shaped individual texts; and the context of lay society, where institutional structures, patronage, even personal relationships impinged upon scientific writing. The volume reinforces the growing recognition that ancient and medieval scientific texts made a difference to their authors and audiences and must be understood in relation to topics like disciplinary identity, career advancement, lay interest, and practical applicability.

Publications by John E. Murdoch:

Edited by Christoph Luthy, John E. Murdoch and William R. Newman, Late Medieval and Early Modern Corpuscular Matter Theories, ISBN: 978 90 04 11516 3