anthropology · David Christian · evolution · history of science · philosophy · philosophy of science · The Edge

Can Science Provide A Big History?

Over at The Edge, John Brockman features British historian David Christian on the need to come up with a new origin story that can serve the global community. Christian, the author of This Fleeting World: A Short History of Humanity, started his career as a professor of Russian history, and over the years as he refined his lectures on… Continue reading Can Science Provide A Big History?

Aquinas · Averroes · history of science · Islam and science · medieval history · philosophy of science

On Averroes

It is ironic that the man whom Europeans came to regard as one of the most influential Arab scientists and philosophers of the Middle Ages, was not exactly appreciated in his homeland. Ibn Rushd (1126—1198), was a native of Cordoba, in Andalusian Spain, and his work covered a broad range of topics in medicine, science… Continue reading On Averroes

Aquinas · Aristotle · Darwin · evolution · history of science · philosophy · philosophy of science · scholasticism

Scholasticism II: What’s in a PON?

Ed Feser wrote a thoughtful response to my earlier post on Scholasticism. And I’d like to expand on his comments, as my afterthoughts on Pieper’s point were brief. I’m a bit puzzled by John’s statement that “Scholasticism presupposes an Aristotelian philosophy of nature that is simply not adequate to support what modern science has uncovered… Continue reading Scholasticism II: What’s in a PON?