ELTE, ANG-211, 2008.02.14., notes
Lecture of Katalin Halácsy
Written by: László Hajba Medieval
thinking was quite
different form ours. We gain our knowledge at all fields of sciences, such as biology astronomy and physics, through experiments. The medieval people did not have a chance to experiment, since they did not have tools and sufficient environment to make such experiments. Every conclusion the medieval people made concerning the world was a mental construction. There were no scientists, but priests and philosophers, who had to create a logical system, which is in harmony with the Christian dogma. This system was extremely logical, but almost at 100% a mental construction.
Universe: They imagined the world with Erath in the centre (geocentric). Earth was imagined as a flat, later as a globe shape world. Above Earth there was the Moon. This was the boundary between the always changing world (Earth), and the static world, which includes everything above the Moon. The moon and the other planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn) – including the sun – were on glass-like strings, and this entire system of planets were static. Above Saturn, there was a zone, where fixed stars took place (Stellatum). Outside that here was nothing, and in nothing there was god. They needed to harmonise their entire view with the Bible. Today we believe that the universe does not have an end in time and space. Medieval people, however, believed, that the universe has an end in space and time. Only god is infinite, the Universe has boundaries in space but also in time, from the creation to the last judgement. Medieval people believed that because god is infinite, he is unknowable as well. So it is useless to study the world. God’s love keeps the Universe in motion.
Man in the universe: Medieval people did not imagine themselves to the top. They were at the bottom of the ladder and above them there were angels and other transcendental beings, and god at the top of course. God created everyone to his own image, so people are all equal (at least in front of god). The creation is good in nature; people are bad because of the original sin. Here, man is pilgrim, a traveller, because he intends to go to heaven. The aim of life is to find out and fulfil god’s intention, viz. find one’s place in gods plan.
Society: Hierarchical society. People liked to classify everything (e.g., clerical person = church p.; layman = world p.).
1. oratores: representatives of the church
2. bellatores: soldiers who fought
3. laboratores: people who worked
Sciences: People wanted to get to know god through his creation (universe) and words (Bible). There were four elements: fire, earth, air, water. Everything consists of these elements in different proportions. There were four Humours: our body fluids in different proportions identify four types of people. Different times of the day different fluids are relevant.
They wanted to master the universe through language. This is why they learned the seven liberal arts: Grammar (Latin), Dialectic (putting sentences together in a logical and grammatically correct way), Rhetoric (persuasion), Arithmetic, Geometry, Astronomy and Music.
History: The Greeks imagined history as a circle or spiral, always retuning to itself or repeating itself on a higher level. The Hebrew history is lineal and always heading towards one particular aim. According to medieval Christianity, history is lineal, has a beginning (creation) and an end (last judgement) at the end of time. People believed that this time will come soon.
Culture: Today there is a written culture. In medieval times, writing carried authority, since the Bible was written as well. Everything written (Bible, laws) had authority. There was an oral culture instead. People had a symbolic mentality, since they could not read and write (banners, flags, emblems). Later, when writing began to spread, people began to read, but they read on three levels: reading level (what is written down), historical level (what event the text refers to) and transcendental level (what is the message behind it). They liked round numbers like 3 (trinity), 4 (elements, humours, evangelists), 5 and 7 (sacraments, deadly sins). Reality was not as important as the transcendental. They believed in the Bible and what the Bible said, but also in ghosts, angels, demons, dragons and fairies. Death was closer to them, so it was easier to enter heaven, they believed. Saints were close to them, because a saint was able to cross the line, he was in heaven already, and people knew him, since he lived here once (relics).Touching was important because the distances were great.