Robert Grossetête

Robert Grossetête or Grosseteste , known as also Robert de Lincoln , is a scholar English, secular near to the Order franciscain, bishop of Lincoln, born towards 1175 and died in 1253.

A first Rebirth of Europe, rather timid, had place with, little time after the impulse given by Gerbert d' Aurillac (Sylvestre II) which brought back there from Spain the Arab numerals, the abacus and the Astrolabe. If this First Rebirth starts with Pierre Abélard, another of its representatives is Robert Grossetête.

Context

The intellectual centers of Europe at the time seem to have been the École of Chartres, Paris and Oxford, this last city giving to Europe Roger Bacon. But this one recognized apart from the ancient world only one Master, who was Grossetête - although the two men did not meet.

Its life

Born in 1175, it studies with Oxford. In 1215, he becomes chancellor of the university, in 1230 he teaches with the studium franciscain of Oxford from which 20 years Roger Bacon will leave later. Impassioned of Greek of which he encouraged the study, he translates itself the Éthique in Nicomaque and works of the Pseudo-Denys Aréopagite, carries out several comments on the work of Aristote, and makes come to Oxford well-read men from several countries - including Greece - in their asking to bring with them all that to them possible as was treated grammar - what contributes to sit the reputation of this university. He confirms the rotundity of the Earth indicated by Aristote, but adds natural explanations indicating that the Planet S must be round too they.

In 1235, it is named bishop of Lincoln. He dies in 1253.

The scholar

Optics

In his work Of luce , Robert Grossetête presents the Lumière (lux) as at the origin of any thing: the visible light (lumen), heat, matter. He develops the theory according to which everyone physical can be described by Géométrie. Being based on the treaties of optics of Ibn Al-Haytham, he studies the direct rays, the reflected rays, the deviated rays. It is interested in the formation of the Arc-en-ciel ( Of iride ) and works on the lens S and the Miroir S. It discovers thus that the lenses, not only has the property to be able to put fire, but also can be used more simply as Loupe. He studies the Réfraction light through a spherical container filled with water ( Of will natura locorum ). He is at the origin of a rule (imperfect) on the concept of refraction: " the angle of refraction is equal to half of the angle of incidence".

Concerning the Color S, in its work Of colors , it is one of the first to make a distinction between:

the white ( lux will clara or albedo ) and black ( lux will obscura or nigredo )
7 primary colors

To each color, it assigns another property: the luminosity, thus making it possible to make the difference enters in luminous blue and a dull blue.

Following Ibn Al-Haytham, it defends the idea that science is built by the Expérience.

Mathematics

Conscious that mathematics is the privileged tool of other sciences, it is interested mainly in the Géométrie ( Of lineis, angulis and figuris ) and in the Astronomie ( theorica planetarum , Of accessione and recessione husbands ). It develops a design of the Infini and with the intuition that certain infinite are larger than others. Although its argumentation is false - he affirms that the infinity of the even numbers is lower than the infinity of the entireties - one cannot deny the revolutionary idea to him to regard the infinite one as a measurable quantity. It will be necessary to await Georg Cantor to have the first example of infinite larger than an other infinite of the real numbers (aleph1) the larger than that of the entireties (aleph0).

Philosophy

Philosopher and theologist, it translates and comments on a great number of works as well religious as traditional. One owes him for example of the comments of the Psaume S, of the epistle S of Paul, of the laws of the Old Testament. Its comments on Aristote will mark the Western system of thought for a long time.

Its theory on the light (origin of any thing) is as much scientist as philosophical and theological where it defends the idea of the Illumination in the accession with the faith. It places the will ( affectus ) like higher than intellect ( aspectus ), thesis which will be taken again by the current franciscain.

Literature

One also owes him a long allegorical poem on the creation of the world and the redemption entitled the chastel of amors like several poems or texts on the courteous label and domestic management. He is also the author of a certain number of theological works including one Hexameron .

The bishop

Appointed bishop of Lincoln in 1235, he undertakes without delaying to reform morals and the discipline in his diocese. That leads it to return in conflict with the members even of its community who do not appreciate his interference in their field. The conflict makes rage of 1239 to 1245 and many are those which reproach Grossetête its lack of reserve in these debates. It is only into 1245 that the conflict will die out after a visit at the papal court of Lyon gives reason to Grossetête.

He undertakes reforms in the spirit of Becket. He asserts for the Church a capacity which the secular capacity is not ready to grant to him. Thus, by twice, it receives a warning of the court of Henri III. By its reforming positions, it enters in conflict as much with the asserting king who it must obey the the Holy See, which with the papacy near which it defends the thesis which the English stations must be held by English and not of the Italians. Thus he asks to the king the release certain disciples of Oxford which had attacked the legate Otho. He subjects himself at least until 1247 with relative good thanks to the interferences of the Holy See, however obtaining the right to manage his diocese with English. He is less tolerant with respect to the royal authority. In 1244, become spokesperson of the church, it returns in conflict with the baronnie for questions of subsidies and request to the king the separation of the clergy and baronnie, request which will be refused to him.

However, it is clear that the king and the pope are far from being favorable to independence that Grossetête wishes to give to the Church of England. In 1250, Grossetête returns in direct conflict with the curia about the management of finances and, in a letter sent to the pope Innocent IV, makes it responsible for all the evils of the Church. This letter does not have any effect and if Grossetête escapes the sanctions for its audacity, it is only because the Cardinals consider it too influential. Disappointed, he even thinks of resigning. Taking again the fight however, it again rises in a 1251 when papal mandate enjoint with the Church of England to give to the king Henri III the tenth of its incomes to finance a crusade. It draws the attention to the annual sum of 70.000 marks claimed with the Church of England by the foreigners selected in Rome. In 1253, he refuses with a nephew of the pope a place in his diocese. In its letters with the pope and the representatives of the king, the principles of an independent church take shape: obedience with the Pope is obligatory only if its orders are in conformity with the teaching of Christ and the apostles.

It counts among his friends Simon V of Montfort.

Works of Grossetête
French Translation of the " Of luce"
a biography of Grossetête
Robert Grosseteste and theology at the University of Oxford (1190-1250) of James McEvoy. ISBN 2204060496
Robert Grosseteste, the castle of love of Robert Grosseteste, bishop of Lincoln , ED. J. Murray, Paris, Champion, 1918

External bonds

musicologie.org writings on the music of Robert Grosseteste: sources, editions, bibliography, comments

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