Science in the Latter Medieval Period

The medieval period was rife with scientific discovery; from psychological to philosophical and medicinal to mathematical, the middle ages proved to cultivate and ultimately perpetuate ideas in copious numbers. The basis for medieval science, however, maintained its fundamental foundation within earlier teachings; with this knowledge, scientific minds of the middle ages were infinitely more able to apply their particular understanding. Indeed, scientific discovery is what the fundamental essence of life is based upon; without Aristotle's initial quest into the notion of logic, contemporary society would know nothing of the extraordinary influence science has had upon human existence ever since. The elements of deductive mathematics were another significant component of scientific evolution, while geography, astronomy and natural sciences soon took shape as separate and individual fields.

Scientific discovery in the medieval period revolved around disproving popular theory with scientific fact. While this was quite a monumental undertaking, the middle ages had St. Thomas Aquinas on its side as a means by which to better understand how to undertake this task. The presence of life was one issue in particular that posed great interest to medieval thinkers. Even with the so-called technological advancements of the day, scientists were still not fully to capture the very essence of how the universe actually came into existence. Clearly, science and all its glory may have produced minute traces of evidence that might have pointed to a possible theory, however, that was all those of the middle ages were to ascertain from their studies, inasmuch as they realized that science seeks tangible entities, which the universe is not.

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...ey offer considerably more insight to the inherent connection between the Crusades and scientific development. It can readily be argued that architecture is a scientific art form in its more refined appearance, as it requires a grand artistic and scientific vision in order to create such immense and impressive structures. One can consider the fact that the land becomes an architect's easel inasmuch as the blank canvass is such to a painter or a mold of clay is to the sculpture. Prior to the time when the Crusades instituted a distinctive change in the way in which castles were constructed, the wooden structures lacked any sort of appeal; in fact, they were often labeled quite unattractive both in appearance and comfort. But then came the Crusades, which served to open up an entirely new and improved version that maintained its existence for centuries to follow.