NATS 1775 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: David Landes, Verge Escapement, Water Clock
Document Summary
Introduction why would it be a mistake to call the medieval period the dark ages? . Unit 3 medieval technology: problematic for two reasons, 1st reason: Although natural philosophy and the technical arts were in relative decline in europe during the early medieval period, the same was not true in other parts of the world. Example 1: in china was in the golden age of technological development during this time. Example 2: in the islamic world was heir to greek science leaders in most scientific fields from 800-1300 ad (many scientific for example astronomy, medicine) Early rulers in islamic world were open to knowledge from foreign cultures and this included greek philosophy and science. Idea that islamic scholars were mere translators, imitators of greeks who are given credit only for translating works into arabic. Sun centred universe (copernicus: 2nd reason: In the later medieval period, both natural philosophy and the technical arts gained importance in europe as well.