Science, Technology and Society

in the Middle Ages

MIDDLE AGES
•Between the collapse of the Roman Empire in 5 th century AD and the colonial expansion of Western Europe in the late 15 th century AD, major advances in scientific and technological development took place.
•The Middle Age was not as stagnant as alternate terms such as the “Medieval Period” or “Dark Ages” suggest. In fact, many medieval universities at the time stirred scientific thinking and built infrastructures for scientific communities to flourish.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN
EUROPE
The Feudal System
 The economy of the Middle
Ages from the 5th century may
be described as feudal. From
11th – 14th centuries, the feudal
system appears to be fully
developed in Europe with its
religious and political
hierarchies and corresponding
science, technology, and art.
The Medieval Towns

 These towns lived by exchanging

new manufactured goods through
guilds of handicraftsmen.
 The establishment of theses towns
was of crucial importance because
it was from them that eventually
were to come the bourgeois class
to found capitalism.
The Church in the Middle Ages
 It was the order and unity of the
church that counteracted the
anarchic tendency of the
nobles providing in the process
a common base of authority.
 The church was an essential
part of the feudal system.
Universities and Scholastics

 The first and most famous of these was

the University in Paris in 1160.
 In the 11th century, A.D., medical school
had been existence in Salermo.
 These universities which were more
general and systematic in their teaching
mode soon acquired a special place as
repositories of learning.
The Impact of Greek and Arab
Knowledge

 The period from the 10th – 14th century was a

unitary Arabic-Latin effort to reconcile religion
and natural philosophy or science.
The Medieval Science
 The medieval static rational
science flourished only in the
12th – 13th century and by the
early 15th century lapsed into
obscurity.
 It was expected to give a share
in justifying the divine order of
the universe whose main
features were given by
revelation supported by reason.
The Medieval Synthesis and
Medieval World-Picture

 The rediscovered works of

Aristotle and Pythagoras
taught in the medieval
universities influenced the
way medieval thinkers looked
at the world.
TECHNOLOGY IN THE MIDDLE
AGES IN EUROPE
New Horse Harness
 This innovation came from the 7th century A.D., China
reaching Europe early in 11th century, resulting in the
horse taking the place of oxen at the plough.
Water-mill and Windmill
 Watermill was invented in Stone
Age. It was, however only in the
Middle Ages that it came to be
used widely.
 From the start, it was an integral
part of the feudal economy. By
using a suitable mechanism, its
rotary motion could be converted
to reciprocal motion making it a
source of general power.
Clock and Watch

 Just like the horse-collar, the

clock and watch seemed to
have come from China,
though it was developed into
the present form in Europe. In
the 11th century, an ingenious
mechanism was devised
which imparted a to-and-fro
motion, thus the mechanical
clock was born.
The Mariner’s Magnetic Compass
 The ability of a natural magnet
to show direction was known to
the Chinese several centuries
ago or about 6th century A.D.,
before it passed to the West or
Europe.
 Such a piece of magnet on
magnetized iron showing
direction was the traditional
compass.
The Sternpost Rudder

 The sternpost rudder

apparently came also from
China.
 This led to the development of
the sail that could be adjusted
such that ship voyages could
be made in the rougher
weather.
Lenses with Spectacles
 The discovery of lenses resulted
in the invention of spectacles in
Italy around 1350 A.D..
 This gave impetus to the study
of light or optics.
 The demand for spectacles
gave rise to lens grinding/trading
and spectacle-making.
Gunpowder and Cannon

 Of all inventions introduced to

Europe in the Middle Ages,
gunpowder of Chinese origin
was to have the greatest effect
scientifically, politically and
economically.
 Their use was initiated a
technical revolution in warfare
comparable only to what
happened at the start of the Iron
Age.
Paper
 Paper and paper-making
originated from China based on
vegetable fibers.
 It was already widely used in
China as a cheap writing
material in the first century B.C..
 It was introduced in Europe
through the Arabs in the 12th
century.
Printing

 Like paper, printing originated

from Chinas using movable
wooden type.
 It was introduced in Europe in
the middle of the 15th century
A.D. and spread extraordinary
and rapidly for books.
Distillation and Alcohol
 The first preparation of strong
spirits of wine was made in the
12th century.
 As the distillation of perfumes
and oil was already known,
alcohol was probably produced
by accident in the course of
some medical preparation.
MEDICINE IN THE MIDDLE AGES
 The superstition and dogmatism after the fall of Rome flourished
throughout the middle ages.
 Astrology ruled prognosis, diagnosis was largely limited to
inspection the urine.
 Medical learning was devoted to the study of ancient authorative
texts.
 Therapy was through prayer, magic charms, amulets and healing.
THE INTERACTION OF MEDIEVAL
TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIEVAL ECONOMY

 The development of
technology in the early part of
the Middle Ages influenced the
economy and ideas of late
Middle Ages.
 Over the countryside improved
production and transport
increased surplus of the village
and the amount of
consumption of manufacturers
which was dominated by town
of merchants.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN CHINA
Paper

 Paper making started in

140 B.C. but was
officially used in writing
starting 105 A.D..
 Paper was also used for
clothing, wall decor,
artwork and even in
toilet.
Seismograph

 A bronze vessel with pendulum sensitive to vibration was invented to detect earthquakes in
the 2nd century A.D.
Physics

 Motion of solid objects was thought to be caused by

force and cessation of motion due to obstacle. They
believe that weight is force. They were aware that
convex mirror gives only virtual image and concave
mirror and inverted real image.
World View

 Organicist views are which

every phenomenon was
connected with every other
according to hierarchical order.
Printing Press

 Wooden block printing was done in

China around 700 A.D..
 In 1020 A.D., the first movable-type
printer made from pottery was
developed.
 Mass printing of paper money and
Confucian work were made around
1200 A.D..
 Magnetic Compass and Stern-Post
Rudder

 The magnetic compass and the invention of stern-post

rudder in 6th century A.D. predated modern ships by
centuries.
 SOME SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ADVANCES IN THE MIDDLE AGES

 In600 A.D., the first windmills was

built in Iran.
 SOME SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ADVANCES IN THE MIDDLE AGES

 In 700 A.D., printing with wood

blocks was started in China.
 SOME SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ADVANCES IN THE MIDDLE AGES

 In1040 A.D., the gunpowder was

developed in China.
 SOME SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ADVANCES IN THE MIDDLE AGES

 In1020 A.D., the movable type of

printing was developed in China.
 SOME SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ADVANCES IN THE MIDDLE AGES

 In Europe, the magnetic compass from

China was introduced in 1190 A.D.
 SOME SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ADVANCES IN THE MIDDLE AGES

 The eyeglasses to correct farsightedness was

developed in England by R. Bacon in 1267 A.D.
SOME SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ADVANCES IN THE MIDDLE AGES
SOME SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ADVANCES IN THE MIDDLE AGES

The Mechanical
clock driven by
weighs
appeared in
1310 A.D.
 SOME SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ADVANCES IN THE MIDDLE AGES

In 1450 A.D., the

eyeglasses was
developed for the
nearsighted by
Nicholas of Cusa
in Germany.
 SOME SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ADVANCES IN THE MIDDLE AGES

 In 13th century A.D., Philosopher Theologians

included Thomas Aquinas, Duns Scotus and
William of Ockham expressed belief in
Aristotle’s flowering of philosophy with religious
outlook.