God’s
Philosophers is a superb book, with erudite
discussions on the many misconceptions about the Middle Ages with regard to
science and technology. Hannam shows that, rather than a few centuries where
nothing much happened and the church suppressed all knowledge as heresy, the
Middle Ages were a vibrant time during which much was learned and developed. The
chapters range from “The Rise of Reason”, “Heresy and Reason” and “Magic and
Medicine” to chapters concerning Roger Bacon, “The Merton Calculators” and
“Galileo and the New Astronomy”.
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| God's Philosophers by J. Hannam |
The volume follows a largely chronological
order, which makes for an easy understanding of this dense text. Hannam further
shows how religious and political views and interpersonal relationships
contributed to scholarly pursuits or worked to the detriment thereof. The
influence of the Renaissance, Enlightenment, etc. on the general view of the
Middle Ages we still (largely) hold today is also tackled. This is what I
enjoyed the most about Hannam’s work; he takes the time to show a multitude of
different viewpoints, thoughts, and actions, instead of an overused caricature
of an uncivilised, backward and ignorant time.
This book will be enjoyed by those
interested in history in general, the Middle Ages, and the history of science.
Visit James Hannam's website for more information about this and his other books.
I bought this book at a local bookstore, but it is also available at online retailers.
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