Robert Grosseteste, following the most authoritative texts at his disposal, was convinced that the only land mass of the earth that was actually inhabitable was the part we would now say is bounded by the Atlantic on the west side, and by the Saharan desert to the south. Some representatives of the Ordered UniverseContinue reading “Ordered Universe goes west”
Author Archives: sigsonnesyn
Astronomy Domine: The Ordered Universe set the controls for the heart of Rome
Just as celestial bodies, according to medieval astronomy, would be brought to convergence by the motion of the firmament, so many members of the Ordered Universe project will converge in Rome in the first full week of April, drawn there by the gravitational pull of our workshop schedule. The focus this time will be onContinue reading “Astronomy Domine: The Ordered Universe set the controls for the heart of Rome”
On the liberal arts and the generation of sounds
Robert Grosseteste suggested in his treatise on the liberal arts that in all areas of human endeavour it is necessary to choose carefully the hour most propitious for the undertaking one wants to carry through. Plants carry more fruit if planted when the celestial spheres are correctly aligned, and base metals are transformed into goldContinue reading “On the liberal arts and the generation of sounds”
Scribal loyalties: A note from a new post-doc.
Reading and transcribing medieval manuscripts is a task that is humbling and exhilarating in equal measure. It is a very immediate way in which to bring the past back to life; a direct link to the physical presence of the great thinkers and writers we study. They bear witness to profound achievements attained without theContinue reading “Scribal loyalties: A note from a new post-doc.”