Edward Grant
Encyclopedia
Edward Grant is an American
historian. He was named a Distinguished Professor in 1983. Other honors include the 1992 George Sarton Medal
, for "a lifetime scholarly achievement" as an historian of science
.
, Department of History and Philosophy of Science
, Indiana University
, Bloomington
. Before arriving at Indiana University in the fall of 1959, Professor Grant taught at the University of Maine
and in the history of science
program at Harvard University
. Professor Grant was twice chair of his department (1973–1979; 1987–1990) where he taught courses on medieval science, natural philosophy
and science and religion.
He has received many honors and awards, including the George Sarton Medal
in 1992, the most prestigious award given by the History of Science Society
that "recognizes those whose entire careers have been devoted to the field and whose scholarship is exceptional."
of the 17th century. He emphasize how the roots of modern science were planted in the ancient and medieval worlds long before the modern period, and that the Christian Latin civilization of Western Europe began the last stage of its intellectual development. One basic factor is how Christianity
developed in the West with the establishment of the medieval universities
around 1200.
In God and Reason in the Middle Ages he argues that the Middle Ages
acquired an undeserved reputation as an age of superstition, barbarism, and unreason.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
historian. He was named a Distinguished Professor in 1983. Other honors include the 1992 George Sarton Medal
George Sarton Medal
The George Sarton Medal is the most prestigious award given by the History of Science Society. It has been awarded annually since 1955. It is awarded to an historian of science from the international community who became distinguished for "a lifetime of scholarly achievement" in the field...
, for "a lifetime scholarly achievement" as an historian of science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
.
Biography
Grant is Distinguished Professor EmeritusEmeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
, Department of History and Philosophy of Science
History and philosophy of science
The history and philosophy of science is an academic discipline that encompasses the philosophy of science and the history of science. Although many scholars in the field are trained primarily as either historians or as philosophers, there are degree-granting departments of HPS at several...
, Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
, Bloomington
Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the southern region of the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 80,405 at the 2010 census....
. Before arriving at Indiana University in the fall of 1959, Professor Grant taught at the University of Maine
University of Maine
The University of Maine is a public research university located in Orono, Maine, United States. The university was established in 1865 as a land grant college and is referred to as the flagship university of the University of Maine System...
and in the history of science
History of science
The history of science is the study of the historical development of human understandings of the natural world and the domains of the social sciences....
program at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. Professor Grant was twice chair of his department (1973–1979; 1987–1990) where he taught courses on medieval science, natural philosophy
Natural philosophy
Natural philosophy or the philosophy of nature , is a term applied to the study of nature and the physical universe that was dominant before the development of modern science...
and science and religion.
He has received many honors and awards, including the George Sarton Medal
George Sarton Medal
The George Sarton Medal is the most prestigious award given by the History of Science Society. It has been awarded annually since 1955. It is awarded to an historian of science from the international community who became distinguished for "a lifetime of scholarly achievement" in the field...
in 1992, the most prestigious award given by the History of Science Society
History of Science Society
The History of Science Society is the primary professional society for the academic study of the history of science.It was founded in 1924 by George Sarton and Lawrence Joseph Henderson, primarily to support the publication of Isis, a journal of the history of science Sarton had started in 1912....
that "recognizes those whose entire careers have been devoted to the field and whose scholarship is exceptional."
Works
In his book The Foundations of Modern Science in the Middle Ages: Their Religious, Institutional and Intellectual Contexts, Grant discuss the developments and discoveries that culminated in the Scientific RevolutionScientific revolution
The Scientific Revolution is an era associated primarily with the 16th and 17th centuries during which new ideas and knowledge in physics, astronomy, biology, medicine and chemistry transformed medieval and ancient views of nature and laid the foundations for modern science...
of the 17th century. He emphasize how the roots of modern science were planted in the ancient and medieval worlds long before the modern period, and that the Christian Latin civilization of Western Europe began the last stage of its intellectual development. One basic factor is how Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
developed in the West with the establishment of the medieval universities
Medieval university
Medieval university is an institution of higher learning which was established during High Middle Ages period and is a corporation.The first institutions generally considered to be universities were established in Italy, France, and England in the late 11th and the 12th centuries for the study of...
around 1200.
In God and Reason in the Middle Ages he argues that the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
acquired an undeserved reputation as an age of superstition, barbarism, and unreason.
Selected publications
Edward Grant has published more than ninety articles and twelve books, including:- Physical Science in the Middle Ages (1971);
- Much Ado About Nothing: Theories of Space and Vacuum from the Middle Ages to the Scientific Revolution (1981);
- Planets, Stars, & Orbs: The Medieval Cosmos, 1200-1687 (1994);
- The Foundations of Modern Science in the Middle Ages (1996);
- God and Reason in the Middle Ages (2001);
- Science and Religion From Aristotle to Copernicus 400 BC — AD 1550 (2004);
- A History of Natural Philosophy from the Ancient World to the Nineteenth Century (2007).