Robert Grosseteste

by James McEvoy

Robert Grosseteste (c 1168-1253) was the initiator of the English scientific tradition, one of the first chancellors of Oxford University, and a famous teacher and commentator on the newly discovered works of Aristotle. In this book, James McEvoy provides the first general, inclusive overview of the entire range of Grosseteste's massive intellectual achievement.

Genres: Philosophy

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Stephen Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book didn't have as much about Grosseteste's contributions to science as I had hoped, it is predominantly about his theological writings. This probably reflects the work that Grosseteste actually did, as Bishop of Lincoln he would have written much more on theological subjects than anything else. Still, I did think some of the space devoted to discussion of how Grosseteste's theology had been seen in later centuries could have been used for more discussion of his scientific work instead. What the book does show is that the distinction between science and theology wasn't altogether clear, and that it was the works of Grosseteste and his contemporaries which helped to sort it out. I felt that it certainly gave some insights into the way people thought three quarters of a millennium ago and made a rather obscure subject accessible to the non-expert reader.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really hate when an introduction is over 50% of the damn book. Still it's an interesting book and what's provided here is a literal precursor for the big bang theory. It's another point to Spengler, who insisted that all philosophical insights exist as seedlings at the beginning of a culture.