Natural Philosophy Epitomised: Books 8-11 of Gregor Reisch's Philosophical Pearl (1503)

Gregor Reisch's The Philosophic Pearl (Margarita Philosophica), first published in 1503 and republished 11 times in the sixteenth century, was the first complete course-book written specially for use in the new German universities of the late 15th and early 16th centuries. Presented as a dialogue between master and pupil, covering the seven liberal arts, natural philosophy and moral philosophy, and with illustrations throughout, it dealt with every subject to be studied by a student in...
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Gregor Reisch's The Philosophic Pearl (Margarita Philosophica), first published in 1503 and republished 11 times in the sixteenth century, was the first complete course-book written specially for use in the new German universities of the late 15th and early 16th centuries. Presented as a dialogue between master and pupil, covering the seven liberal arts, natural philosophy and moral philosophy, and with illustrations throughout, it dealt with every subject to be studied by a student in the arts faculty. It is well known to historians for its many woodcuts, but it has received remarkably little attention in its own right as a work of education which helped shape the world view of sixteenth-century educated men. In every respect it is a new treatment of the subjects of the traditional curriculum, and it was produced to meet the new educational needs of the 'modern world'. Natural philosophy - the predecessor of modern science - receives an unusually extensive treatment by Reisch (4 out of 12 books), and the natural philosophy he presents is as Augustinian as it is Aristotelian, which is remarkable.