Review article
https://doi.org/10.31192/np.17.3.3
Middle Ages Between Metaphysical Daydreaming and Technological Revolution: An Attempt of Demythologization
Ivica Musić
orcid.org/0000-0002-8434-3742
; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Mostar, Mostar, Bosnia and Hercegovina
Abstract
The notion of the „Dark Ages“, as a period of scientific desolation is still a highly influential paradigm in the academic circles. It is believed that this desolation was caused by the Catholic Church which has destroyed or neglected the rich knowledge from the antiquity, mostly collected by the Greek and the Romans, and that the Catholic Church has hindered every scholarly and rational thought as well as scientific research. However, nowadays there is more and more studies that undermine the credibility of this notion. The research described in this paper leads to similar results. The views of the most prominent Christian authorities, from the Church Fathers till the Renaissance, of philosophy and science, are re-examined. The scientific contribution of the important Christian figures was also researched. The results have shown that Christian authorities had an extremely positive opinion when it comes to the abilities of common sense for comprehension and understanding of the world. They believed that empirical research of the material world was irreplaceable. This has caused huge advancements in all fields of social life, and thus laid the foundations for the modern Western science and civilization.
Keywords
Church Fathers; Middle Ages; philosophy; science; theology
Hrčak ID:
228402
URI
Publication date:
25.11.2019.
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