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Dietrich Lohrmann

    Sudhoffs Archiv
    |April 19, 2018
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Later medieval scholars showed significant interest in parabolic burning mirrors, utilizing conic sections theory. This study reattributes an anonymous treatise on parabolic mirror construction to John Fontana, dating it earlier.

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    Area of Science:

    • History of Science
    • Medieval Optics
    • History of Mathematics

    Background:

    • The later Middle Ages exhibited considerable interest in burning mirrors, particularly parabolic mirrors, due to their perceived efficiency.
    • The theoretical foundation for these mirrors was rooted in the study of conic sections.
    • A key manuscript, Paris BnF ms. lat. 9335, containing Arabic translations on optics, provides crucial context.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To document the medieval interest in parabolic mirrors and their underlying conic sections theory.
    • To re-evaluate the dating and attribution of the treatise 'Speculi almukefi compositio' on parabolic mirror construction.
    • To connect the optical texts within Paris BnF ms. lat. 9335 to the Venetian physician John Fontana.

    Main Methods:

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  • Analysis of marginal notes and definitions by John Fontana in Paris BnF ms. lat. 9335.
  • Examination of optical treatises by Diokles, Apollonius, and Alhazen within the manuscript.
  • Comparison of textual evidence with existing scholarship on medieval optics and mathematics.

    • Main Results:

    • John Fontana actively studied and annotated optical texts, including those on parabolic mirrors.
    • Fontana's annotations support re-dating the anonymous treatise 'Speculi almukefi compositio' to circa 1430–1435.
    • This revised dating suggests the treatise is a work of John Fontana himself, not from the mid-14th century.

    Conclusions:

    • The study highlights the significant engagement with conic sections and burning mirror technology in the later Middle Ages.
    • The findings contribute to a more accurate understanding of the history of optics and scientific practice.
    • Attributing 'Speculi almukefi compositio' to John Fontana provides new insights into his scientific contributions.