Adelard of Bath

Adelard of Bath

Adelard of Bath (Latin: Adelardus Bathensis) (c. 1080 – c. 1152) was a 12th century English scholar. He is known both for his original works and for translating many important Arabic scientific works of astrology, astronomy, philosophy and mathematics into Latin, including ancient Greek texts which only existed in Arabic form, which were then introduced to Europe. He studied at Tours, taught for a time at Laon, then travelled to Southern Italy, Syracuse in Sicily, and Antioch in Asia Minor. He had settled in Bath in England by 1122. [There is some uncertainty on the details of his career; see Burnett (1987) and Burnett (1999).]

Background

One of the first to introduce the Indian number system to Europe and helped the resurgence of Europe after many centuries of Dark Ages. He wrote a book called "Liber algorismi de Numero" "Indorum". His highly regarded original works, the "Quaestiones Naturales (Natural Questions)", the "De Eodem et Diverso (On the Same and the Different)" and a shorter treatise "On Birds" were addressed to his nephew in the form of dialogue or correspondence. In the "Natural Questions" he indicates he is responding to his nephews' desire to know what Adelard had learned "from the studies of the Arabs," while in the others he passes on Greek and English learning. [Charles Burnett, ed. and trans., "Adelard of Bath, Conversations with His Nephew", pp. xi-xii] Adelard also displays original thought of a scientific bent, raising the question of the shape of the Earth (he believed it round) and the question of how it remains stationary in space, and also the interesting question of how far a rock would fall if a hole were drilled through the earth and a rock dropped in it, see center of gravity. He theorized that matter could not be destroyed, see Law of conservation of matter. Also the interesting question of why water experiences difficulty flowing out of a container that has been turned upside down, see atmospheric pressure and vacuum. Many of the other questions addressed reflect the popular culture of the times. In "On the Same and the Different" he contrasts the virtues of the seven liberal arts with worldly interests.

He translated the astronomical tables of al-Khwarizmi and the "Introduction to Astrology" of Abū Ma'shar . He wrote a short treatise on the abacus ("Regulae abaci"). He wrote a treatise on the astrolabe. He translated Euclid's "Elements" into Latin from an Arabic translation of the Greek original. Johannes Campanus probably had access to Adelard's translation of "Elements", and it is Campanus' edition that was first published in Venice in 1482 after the invention of the printing press. It became the chief text-book of the mathematical schools of Europe.

ee also

*Latin translations of the 12th century

Notes

Further reading

*Burnett, Charles, ed. and trans. (1999). "Adelard of Bath, Conversations with His Nephew: "On the Same and the Different, Questions on Natural Science" and "On Birds. With the collaboration of Italo Ronca, Pedro Mantas España, and Baudouin Van den Abeele. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-39471-6
*Burnett, Charles. (1987). "Adelard of Bath: an English scientist and Arabist of the early twelfth century". Warburg Institute, University of London.
*
*Cochrane, Louise. (1995). "Adelard of Bath: The First English Scientist". London: British Museum Press. paperback ISBN 0-7141-1748-X
* Haskins, Charles H. (1927). "Adelard of Bath,"pp. 20-42 in Haskins, "Studies in the History of Medieval Science." Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
* Thorndike, Lynn. (1923). "A History of Magic and Experimental Science: During the First Thirteen Centuries of Our Era", Volume II. Columbia University Press, New York and London, 1036 pages. pp. 19-49. ISBN 0-231-08795-0

External links

* [http://www.thalesinyolu.com/index.php?op=NEArticle&sid=44 ADELHARD]
*
* [http://oregonstate.edu/~peterseb/misc/adelhard_of_bath.html Adelhard (Adelard) of Bath - Give and take reason]
* [http://www.brlsi.org/adelard.htm Adelard of Bath] Timeline from the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution
* [http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/adelardbath1.html Extract from Adelard's "Very Difficult Natural Questions"]


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