Article ID: CBB040310171

Saphaeae and Hayʾāt: The Debate between Instrumentalism and Realism in Al-Andalus (2017)

unapi

The article explores several texts written in al-Andalus between the twelfth and the early fourteenth centuries that mention Ibn al-Zarqālluh (al-Zarqālī) or the “Toledan astronomers.” These texts, contained in the works of physicians and philosophers, express scholarly reactions to the contributions of the circle of astronomers of eleventh-century Toledo, sponsored by the judge Ṣāʿid al-Andalusī. The textual evidence reveals attitudes ranging from a somewhat naïve admiration to harsh criticism. The article deals with the idealised image of the Toledan circle, due to a great extent to the significance of their work but also to external factors such as the innovative instruments and devices that these astronomers made. The texts suggest that some of the contributions of the Toledan circle were debated during the twelfth century, and that the echoes of this debate were felt in the following centuries. The discussion centred on the instrumentalism of Toledan astronomy, which was criticised by scholars who discussed the compatibility of Ptolemy’s mathematical astronomy and Aristotle’s natural philosophy. The “revolt against Ptolemy” that characterises this debate is reconsidered in the light of both the texts under study and the findings of recent research.

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Authors & Contributors
Chabás, José
Violet Moller
Eneko López Martínez de Marigorta
Azucena Hernández
Jean-Louis Bosc
Baughman, Davis L.
Concepts
Arab/Islamic world, civilization and culture
Cross-cultural interaction; cultural influence
Astronomy
Transmission of texts
Western world, civilization and culture
Medicine
Time Periods
Medieval
14th century
11th century
Renaissance
13th century
10th century
Places
Andalusia (Spain)
Toledo (Spain)
Spain
Europe
Castille (Spain)
Mediterranean region
Institutions
Université de Montpellier
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