The ordered universe Project Symposia series 2015-2020 Light Fantastic: Robert Grosseteste’s De cometis, De luce, De motu supercelestium and De motu corporali et luce 17–20 September 2018
Trinity College Dublin and Marsh’s Library Ireland
Welcome This is the seventh of the Ordered Universe symposia under the aegis of the Arts and Humanities Research Council award which provides funding for the project until the end of 2019. It is also the 22nd Ordered Universe symposium in a sequence stretching back to July 2010. This symposium takes place at Trinity College Dublin, and Marsh’s Library; the first time that we have held a symposium in Ireland. This symposium also marks the tenth anniversary for the project. The interdisciplinary ethos of the Ordered Universe has developed into an iterative methodology of reading, listening, discussing and writing together. The core of our activities is a collaborative reading process that, although constantly evolving, remains simple. Collaborative reading means that every question is important and every point of view equal (they should also at some point make their way to the chair of the session!). The aim of the project is to work through Grosseteste’s shorter scientific treatises (opuscula) and present them in new editions, translations and multi-disciplinary perspectives. These are the De artibus liberalibus, De generatione sonoroum, De sphera, De impressionibus elementorum, De cometis, De luce, De motu supercelestium, De motu corporali et luce, De differentiis localibus, De lineis, De natura locorum, De iride (and the De colore). All will be published by Oxford University Press and the first volume, containing the De artibus liberalibus and the De generatione sonorum is in process, recently accepted by the press. 2018 has already been a busy year for the project. In addition to the completion of the first volume for our Oxford University Press series, Knowing and Speaking, which presents On the Liberal Arts and On the Generation of Sounds with the Middle English Seven Liberal Arts, we have submitted a new scientific paper on phonetic recognition, inspired by Grosseteste’s comments on sound and human vocal production, and are working on further publications. These include the second volume in the series: Mapping the Universe, which features the treatises On the Sphere and On the Six ‘Differentiae’. April saw the project conference, Science, Imagination and Wonder, at Pembroke College, Oxford, which included a sculptural installation by Alexandra Carr, Suspensio, and an exhibition of photographs, glass and ceramics, Light Embodied, curated by Clara Chivers. This drew on work from colleagues at the National Glass Centre, Cate Watkinson, Colin Rennie, Angela Thwaites, Claire Todd and Ruth Brenner, photographer Rosie Reed Gold and Alexandra Carr, and pieces from the Pembroke College collection. May saw our most recent symposium, which took place in Montreal. In June another collaboration with The Projection Studio came to fruition in a fabulous internal projection at York Minster, Northern Lights, on which Sigbjørn Sønnesyn, Francesca Galli and Giles Gasper consulted. In addition, we opened up the Ordered Universe strands for the OxNet Access to University scheme, selecting 20 students for the programme from the North-East which involved a 6-week seminar course, a residential Easter school, and a Summer School. Team members also gave papers at the British History of Philosophy Society, at the University of Leeds, and took part in the Cambridge e-Luminate Festival in February. Members of the wider team participated at the Leeds International Medieval Congress in July, in four sessions on Durham Cathedral MS Hunter 100, and the project will also be represented in October at Boston College, and at the North American Conference on British Studies, Providence, Rhode Island.
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What we are embarked upon this time The symposium will focus on four treatises, all of which have been discussed before as part of our collaborative reading programme. De motu supercelestium, De motu corporali et lucei, De cometis and De luce form the focus of our attention. None of the treatises are easy to date, but probably date to the 1210s and the mid-1220s. The treatises introduce cardinal themes which permeate Grosseteste’s thought on the natural world, most importanly the role of light. De cometis – On Comets receives its third and final collaborative reading at Dublin. This treatise, which may date to the early 1220s, with a possible reference to Halley’s Comet, offers a discussion of comets as a meteorological phenomenon. Grosseteste works through a number of different theories for comets, their composition, their relation to other celestial bodies, and the nature of their appearance and re-appearance. The text seems to have been re-worked in mid-13th century Paris, making the work of editing complex. On Comets contributes to Grosseteste’s growing familiarity with Aristotle, especially his treatise On the Heavens. Nevertheless, Grosseteste’s own conclusions mark out an independent interpretation, as well as a formulation in a format more nearly scholastic in its adoption of the quaestio method. We continue also with our reading of the De motu supercelestium - On the Movement of the Celestial Bodies, a metaphysical work which concentrates on the question of the nature and cause of circular motion. Grosseteste’s discussion is framed principally around Aristotle’s Physics and Inset from the Puerta del Sol, Toledo Metaphysics, with additional material from On the Heavens and On the Soul, as well as some Ptolemy. The extent to which Grosseteste was familiar with Averroes in this context is intriguing. The text is challenging, and the arc of our collaborative reading is accordingly longer. For the current symposium we will focus on the middle section of the treatise. On the Movement of the Celestial Bodies is also closely related to De motu corporali et luce - On Bodily Movement and Light. This intriguing shorter treatise speaks particularly to Grosseteste’s developing doctrine of light, and its incorporation into matter. First form and first matter make their appearance, light, as the first form, is active, causing motion in other bodies. Movement is at the heart of this treatise too. Light is self-generating, giving extension to matter, and producing rectilinear movement. In this the treatise is probably a pre-cursor to the majestic treatise De luce – On Light, which gives to light the fundamental physical role in the fabric of the universe. This was the first treatise broached by the Ordered Universe team almost exactly nine years ago; and it formed the basis of our first iteration of the collaborative reading methodology, including memorable sessions in Porto. So, it will be a delight to re-trace our steps. Neil Lewis edited and translated On Bodily Movement and translated both On the Movement of Celestial Bodies and On Light from the editions by Cecilia Panti. Sigbjørn Sønnesyn translated On Comets from the edition also by Cecilia. We are very grateful to all three of our colleagues for providing the material for our collaborative deliberation. 2
PUBLICATIONS AND PUBLIC LECTURE: KNOWING AND SPEAKING, AND GETTING HANDS-ON WITH MEDIEVAL SCIENCE Over the course of the spring and summer the nineteen authors involved brought to completion and submission to press the first volume in the series of editions, translations and analysis of Grosseteste’s scientific works which form the principal scholarly output from the Ordered Universe Project. This was no mean achievement, and, as always with these things, represented months and years of careful labour. The volume, Knowing and Speaking, comprises the first two treatises amongst the scientific opuscula, On the Liberal Arts and On the Generation of Sounds, together with a Middle English re-imagining of both treatises, The Seven Liberal Arts. With three editions, two Latin, one Middle English, three modern English translations, and some eighteen chapters of commentary and interpretation, ranging from historical context to a scientific exposition of phonetic recognition, and from his use of sources ancient, medieval, Latin, Greek and in Arabic, the volume is extensive. The peer-review was uniformly positive and complementary of the team’s efforts, which is a tremendous fillip for the project, and enormously encouraging for the spirit of collaboration in which the project was conceived, and through which it operates. This first volume, published by Oxford University Press will be introduced to the world in concert with a new edition and translation of Grosseteste’s Compotus by Philipp Nothaft and Alfred Lohr, also in train with Oxford University Press. It is in the same spirit of collaboration and exploration that guides the public lecture for this symposium. ‘Getting Hands-On with Medieval Science’ features Giles Gasper in a brief introduction to the project, and then, Seb Falk, speaking on his particular field of expertise, namely, instruments and tools used in the medieval period for star-craft and the interpretation of the heavens. So, if you have ever wondered how to use and astrolabe, this is where to find out.
From Northern Lights by The Projection Studio York Minster, June 2018
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What we have been up to …
Since May the Ordered Universe team, amongst its varied membership has been busy. Within the North-East of England, we were hosted by the National Glass Centre for a day to experience glassmaking. We read through Grosseteste’s On the Impressions of the Elements, worked with members of Durham’s Department of Earth Science to find out about volcanoes and glass, and had a great time making pictures with molten glass and our own paperweights. Experiencing how to work with glass was an eye-opening experience! Various members of the team attended and gave papers at the Leeds International Medieval Congress, in sessions organized around a scientific album from early 12th century Durham, now Durham Cathedral MS Hunter 100. These were a great success, and a publication is under development to present our findings. As mentioned June saw a new projection from Ross Ashton and Karen Monid on the inside of York Minster, which involved Ordered Universe. Verses from Bartolomeo of Bologna’s treatise on light formed the opening of the third sequence in the show, edited by Francesca Galli and translated by Sigbjørn Sønnesyn. Northern Lights was quite overwhelming; the internal show involved watching the Minster roof dissolve, thundercracks of lighting through the nave, and seeing the amazing medieval stained glass come to life. We are working currently on a new show for the Napa Lighted Festival in California, for January 2019, entitled Horizon. This will meditate upon Grosseteste’s treatises On the Sphere and On the Six ‘Differentiae’.
In addition to all of these other activities, came the Ordered Universe contribution to the awardwining OxNet University Access Scheme in the last week of July 2018, at a Summer School, which took place in Pembroke College, University of Oxford. Project members have been working closely with the scheme in the new hub centre for the North East at Southmoor Academy in Sunderland. The summer school programme was headed by Sigbjørn, with Josh Harvey, Sarah Griffin, Tom Henderson and Tom McLeish, under the direction of Peter Claus and Matthew Garraghan. Working through the treatises On Light and On the Rainbow as well as talks and seminars on art history, creativity in science and the arts, manuscript studies and experiments on optics and the rainbow, the summer school participants were given a real taste of the diversity, challenges and frontier-breaking of university life. The programme starts again this autumn in the North-East, with our new co-ordinator Claire Ungley. 4
Timetable and Locations Members of the Symposium should bear in mind that we will be meeting in different locations during our time atTrinity TrinityCollege CollegeDublin Dublin. A map of the locations that we will be using has been provided below.
Monday 17 September Trinity Long Room Hub Galbraith Seminar Room
14.00–14.30
Coffee/Tea
14.30–14.45
Welcomes
Giles Gasper and Karl Kinsella
14.45–15.45
Session 1
Collaborative Reading of the De motu supercelestium: Part I
15.45–16.00
Break
16.00–17.00
Session 2
Collaborative Reading of the De motu supercelestium: Part II
17.00–17.30
Excursus 1
The Physics of Light
Brian Tanner
17.30–17.40
Break
17.40–18.40
Excursus 2
Light Embodied – Modern Art/Medieval Science
Cate Watkinson, Alexandra Carr, Rosie Reed Gold
19.00
Dinner
Dunne & Crescenzi, South Frederick Street
PARTICIPANTS
Gasper, Sønnesyn, Tanner, Falk, Harvey, Cunningham, Kinsella, Carr, Galli, Campi, Polloni, Reed-Gold, Curiello, White, Panti, Lewis, Watkinson, Dunne
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Tuesday 18 September Trinity Long Room Hub Galbraith Seminar Room 09.00–09.30
Coffee/Tea
09.30–11.00
Session 3 Collaborative Reading of the De motu supercelestium: Part III
11.00–11.20
Break
11.20–13.00
Session 4 Collaborative Reading of the De motu corporali et luce: Part I
13.00–14.15
Lunch
14.15–15.45
Session 5 Collaborative Reading of the De motu corporali et luce: Part II
15.45–16.00
Break
16.00–17.00
Session 6 Collaborative Reading of the De motu corporali et luce: Part III
17.00–18.00
Break Public Lecture: ‘Getting Hands-on with Medieval Science’ Giles Gasper and Seb Falk
18.00–19.00 19.30
Neill Lecture Theatre, Long Room Hub, Trinity College Dublin Dinner - Milano, 38 Dawson Street Gasper, Cleaver, Sønnesyn, Tanner, Falk, Harvey, Cunningham, Kinsella, Carr, Galli, Campi,
PARTICIPANTS Polloni, Reed-Gold, Curiello, White, Panti, Lewis, Watkinson, Dunne, [McLeish]
Wednesday 19 september Marsh’s Library 09.30–10.00
Tour of Marsh’s Library
10.00–11.30
Session 7
11.30–11.45
Break
11.45–13.00
Session 8
13.00–14.00
Lunch
14.00–15.30
Session 9
15.30–15.45
Break
15.45–17.00
Session 10 Collaborative Reading of the De cometis: Part I
19.00
Dinner – Fallon & Byrne, Exchequer Street
PARTICIPANTS
Gasper, Cleaver, Sønnesyn, Tanner, Falk, Harvey, Cunningham, Kinsella, Carr, Galli, Polloni, Reed-Gold, Curiello, White, Panti, Lewis, McLeish, Watkinson, Dunne
Collaborative Reading of De luce: Part I
Collaborative Reading of De luce: Part II
Collaborative Reading of De luce: Part III
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Thursday 20 September Trinity College Dublin, Phoenix House 09.00–09.30
Coffee
09.30–11.00
Session 11
11.00–11.30
Break
11.30–13.00
Session 12
13.00–14.00
Lunch and depart
PARTICIPANTS
Gasper, Cleaver, Sønnesyn, Tanner, Falk, Harvey, Cunningham, Kinsella, Carr, Galli, Polloni, Reed-Gold, Curiello, White, Panti, Lewis, McLeish, Watkinson, Dunne
Collaborative Reading of De cometis: Part II
Collaborative Reading of De cometis: Part III
From Northern Lights
For more information, visit www.ordered-universe.com To contact the project, email: ordered.universe@durham.ac.uk
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Attendees and Disciplines
1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10) 11) 12) 13) 14) 15) 16) 17) 18) 19)
Dr Giles Gasper (Durham University) Professor Tom McLeish (University of York) Professor Neil Lewis (Georgetown University) Professor Cecilia Panti (Università di Roma, Tor Vergata) Professor Brian Tanner (Durham University) Professor Michael Dunne (Maynooth University) Dr Laura Cleaver (Trinity College Dublin) Dr Sigbjørn Sønnesyn (Durham University) Dr Rebekah White (University of Oxford) Dr Nicola Polloni (Humboldt University) Dr Luigi Campi (University of Milan) Dr Jack Cunningham (Bishop Grosseteste University) Dr Cate Watkinson (University of Sunderland) Dr Karl Kinsella (University of York) Dr Francesca Galli (Università della Svizzera italiana) Dr Gioacchino Curiello (Bishop Grosseteste University) Ms Alexandra Carr Ms Rosie Reed Gold Mr Joshua Harvey (University of Oxford)
History Physics Philosophy Philosophy Physics Philosophy History of Art History Psychology History Philosophy History Glass Art and Architecture History of Art Philosophy History Multi-media Sculptor Photographer Psychology and Engineering
Acknowledgements The organisation for this symposium in the Ordered Universe series has been borne by Laura Cleaver of Trinity College Dublin. The Ordered Universe would like to extend its thanks to Trinity College Dublin and all of the support staff who have worked hard to put this event together, especially to Laura and also to Karl Kinsella. The symposium is the seventh to take place as part of the Arts and Humanities Research Council major grant: we are delighted to be supported in this way by the council, and by its Science in Culture theme.
From Northern Lights
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Photo by DAVID ILIFF. License: CC-BY-SA 3.0