Philosophical and methodological problems of science Natalia Pogukaeva

The middle Ages (II-XIV) cen. Content: The characteristics of the Middle Ages What is Theology? Augustine Saint Aquinas , Saint Thomas

mediaeval world was one based on authority and religion The rise of modem science in the 17th and 18th centuries is often contrasted with the mediaeval world that preceded it. mediaeval world was one based on authority and religion Where from the 17th c. world was based on evidence and reason

After Aristotle

(who took a more impersonal, atomist view). Stoics (in which the universe was designed bу the logos, word or reason) Epicureans (who took a more impersonal, atomist view).

Epicureans Epicureans regarded the universe as infinite eternal and as consisting only of bodies. The world , as seen through the human eye, is produced by the whirling, collisions and aggregation of these atoms, which individually possess only shape and size.

Christian theology developed against a background of the Greek ideas of the Hellenistic world.

Ptolemy of Alexandria c. AD 90 – c. 168 In this cosmology, the Earth was surrounded bу ten glassy spheres on which were fixed the Sun, Moon, stars and planets. Ptolemy, coloured woodcut, 1531. The Granger Collection, New York

Ptolemy's map of the world, as printed at Ulm, Ger., 1482. Library of Congress, Washington, D.C

Ptolemy I Soter, portrait on a silver tetradrachm; in the British Museum

The 'dark ages',

The mediaeval synthesis Theology Theos-God , logos – word, studies The main task of theology is to prove that the God exist , and more talented teologyst by using philosophy and logic make doctrines about God existence.

God is in the centre of human being (ontology) God is Absilute, perfect the most objective reality. Monotheism – it is believe in one God The objective reality is divided on two parts existence of God and human being.

The main driving force of history is God Time illustrated as line Symbolism

Thomas Aquinas (1225- 1274) Duns Scotus (1266-1308) William of Ockham (с. 1285-1349)

Universities were established throughout Europe and the 'natural philosophy' taught in them (largely based оn the rediscovered works of Aristotle) was an important preparation for later developments in both philosophy and science.

Characteristics of medieval philosophy Medieval philosophy is characteristically theological. With the possible exceptions of Avicenna and Averroes, medieval thinkers did not consider themselves philosophers at all: for them, the philosophers were the ancient pagan writers such as Plato and Aristotle However, their theology used the methods and logical techniques of the ancient philosophers to address difficult theological questions and points of doctrine. 

Thomas Aquinas, following Peter Damian, argued that philosophy is the handmaiden of theology

Although mediaeval thinkers were logical, they used deductive logic.

Earth was at the centre of the universe and the life of mankind was the special object of God's concern.

Copernicus (1473- 1543) who considered the Sun rather than the Earth to be at the centre of the known universe and later Galileo (1564-1642), who compared the Copemican view Nicolaus Copernicus

Roger Bacon (1220- 1292) based his work оn observation and was highly critical of the tendency to accept something as true simply on the grounds of authority.

Augustine Saint 354-430 Augustine of Hippo One of the most eminent Western Doctors of the Church. Human spiritual disobedience had resulted in a state of sin that human nature was powerless to change. Augustine, Saint: Botticelli

St. Augustine with Holy Family and St. Catherine of Alexandria

St. Augustine’s Abbey

Aerial view of the 17th-century Castillo de San Marcos, St Aerial view of the 17th-century Castillo de San Marcos, St. Augustine, Fla.

Aquinas , Saint Thomas 1225-1274 Made a major contribution to philosophy through his interpretations of the relationship between the natural world and divine.

Aquinas , Saint Thomas He was the foremost classical proponent of natural theology and the father of Thomism; of which he argued that reason is found in God. His influence on Western thought is considerable, and much of modern philosophy developed or opposed his ideas, particularly in the areas of ethics, natural law, metaphysics, and political theory.