IMC 2019: Sessions

Session 534: Ordered Universe, I: Robert Grosseteste's Cosmology - The Physics of Light and the Dimensions of Materiality

Tuesday 2 July 2019, 09.00-10.30

Sponsor:	Ordered Universe Project
Organiser:	Giles E. M. Gasper, Department of History, Durham University
Moderator/Chair:	Giles E. M. Gasper, Department of History, Durham University
Paper 534-a	Robert Grosseteste: Patterns of Causality, Matter, Light, and the Divine (Language: English) Nicola Polloni, Institut für Philosophie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Index terms: Philosophy, Science
Paper 534-b	Grosseteste, Natural Illumination, and Otherworldly Glow in Medieval Preaching (Language: English) Francesca Galli, Istituto di studi italiani, Università della svizzera italiana, Lugano Index terms: Science, Theology
Paper 534-c	Feeling Disoriented and Keeping Your Eye on the Horizon in the 13th Century (Language: English) Tom McLeish, Department of Physics / Centre for Medieval Studies, University of York Index terms: Science, Technology
Abstract	Session 1 of 4: Robert Grosseteste is perhaps most famous for his fascination with light. This fascination encompasses the physical, material qualities of light, its emerging role within his scientific works as the building-block of the universe, and the connections, through light, to his metaphysical thinking. These ideas were integral to many of Grosseteste's works, not only cosmological but also treating physical and theological themes. This session focuses on how Grosseteste's physics of light and its role in conceptualising dimensionality and materiality found expression in this wider range of texts. How science and humanities research co-operated to explore this vision of the medieval cosmos will also be presented.