Roger Bacon

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside The UK. Stay in the game with Michigan Orthopedic Surgeons. Whether it's a sprained ankle on the soccer field, a broken bone during football practice, or a weekend pickup game injury, we've got you covered. Our fellowship trained surgeons and advanced practice providers deliver expert care for sports injuries. Same day walk in visits at our urgent ortho clinics in Royal Oak and Shelby Township with extended after hours and weekend availability. Visit our after hours urgent ortho clinics in Royal Oak and Shelby Township, or go to miortho.care to learn more. Mirror, mirror on the wall. You've watched each and every hair fall. Thornton and Grooms knows a clogged drain can make things a bit hairy. So we provide fast, same day drain service for only $99, giving you peace of mind and the comfort of knowing our expert service is the fairest of them all. Trusted, guaranteed. Thornton and Grooms since 1937. Schedule your service today. This is the BBC. Thanks for downloading this episode of In Our Time. There's a reading list to go with it on our website, and you can get news about our programs if you follow us on Twitter at BBC In Our Time. I hope you enjoy the programs. Hello. Doctor Mirabilis, or wonderful doctor, was the nickname given to the medieval English scholar Roger Bacon. Born in the early thirteenth century, much of his life is obscure, but what is beyond doubt is the vast breadth of his learning. His epic work, the opus Maes, comprised seven books and dealt with science, mathematics, optics, geography, religion, moral philosophy, and rhetoric. He was determined to improve the quality of education in the West, arguing that this was necessary to reduce the amount of sin. Some historians regard him as one of the earliest European promoters of the modern scientific method, but he also acquired a reputation as a magician. And over time, various legends grew up about him. According to the most famous story, he said to have created a mechanical talking head to foretell the fate of the kingdom. With me to discuss Roger Bacon are Amanda Power, associate professor of medieval history at the University of Oxford, Annie Truitt, associate professor of medieval history at Bryn Mawr College, and Jack Cunningham, academic coordinator for theology at Bishop Christus University, Lincoln. Amanda Pahr, what do we know about Roger Bacon's family background? Well, we don't know a great deal as is common with most medieval figures. What we do know comes from a couple of passages in his writings, which are not intended to tell us biographical information. So the first of them talks about how he has been this was written in December, how he's been constantly in study for the last forty years ever since he learned the alphabet. The other piece of information that we have that relates to his family background comes later when he's talking about his family's …