Automata in Science

Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr PA

Investigators

Abstract

Automata-artificial objects that are, or appear to be, self-moving-were culturally significant in medieval Europe. They appear as diplomatic gifts from distant rulers to European courts; in stories and legends and chronicles of distant lands and times; as manifestations of esoteric and sometimes forbidden knowledge; in courtly settings of great luxury; attached to monumental clockworks; as examples of technological innovation, and in the service of the Church. This research project examines the presence of automata in visual, textual, and material form in medieval Europe and, in the course of this examination, traces the interpenetration of scientific ideas, technological developments, philosophical theories, and cultural history. By examining different types of primary sources, including philosophical treatises, historical chronicles, scientific texts, archival documents, visual representations of automata, technical drawings, and literary sources, and using close analysis of textual, visual, and material sources, this study examines the developments in how automata were created from the twelfth to the fifteenth centuries, and how these shifts relate to developments in medieval natural philosophy and technology. Additionally, a particular theme of this project is how automata, and the knowledge needed to create them, were initially believed to be from the Arabic-speaking world, and were thus viewed with mistrust, suspicion, and fear, as well as desire and wonder. Over time, however, automata were decoupled from these origins, and took on new significance. This research will make significant intellectual contributions to several different fields. By revealing that automata were central to western medieval society, it will contribute to histories of science and technology as well as establish the importance of science and technology in medieval history. The project will also have a broader impact on scholars and scientists who work on robots, artificial life, and artificial intelligence. This project will place these scholars' interests and research on contemporary science into historical context, showing that current ideas about artificial, self-moving objects and the categories used to organize them have an intellectual, cultural, and scientific history that has been largely invisible. Lastly, this research will compellingly demonstrate that ideas often assumed to be novel developments of early modern natural philosophy are in fact rooted in medieval philosophy, scientific culture, and technological developments.