David Charles Lindberg (November 15, 1935 – January 6, 2015) was an American
historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the st ...
of science. His main focus was in the history of
medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
and
early modern science, especially
physical science
Physical science is a branch of natural science that studies non-living systems, in contrast to life science. It in turn has many branches, each referred to as a "physical science", together called the "physical sciences".
Definition
Phy ...
and the
relationship between religion and science
The relationship between religion and science involves discussions that interconnect the study of the natural world, history, philosophy, and theology. Even though the ancient and medieval worlds did not have conceptions resembling the modern u ...
. Lindberg was the author or editor of many books and received numerous grants and awards. He also served as president of the
History of Science Society
The History of Science Society (HSS) is the primary professional society for the academic study of the history of science. It was founded in 1924 by George Sarton, David Eugene Smith, and Lawrence Joseph Henderson, primarily to support the publi ...
and in 1999 was recipient of its
Sarton medal.
Early life and education
Lindberg was born on November 15, 1935, in
Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
,
Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
.
He would go on to obtain a degree in
physics
Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...
from
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world.
Charte ...
and a
Ph.D.
A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is ...
in
history and philosophy of science
The history and philosophy of science (HPS) is an academic discipline that encompasses the philosophy of science and the history of science. Although many scholars in the field are trained primarily as either historians or as philosophers, there ...
from
Indiana University
Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana.
Campuses
Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI.
*Indiana Universi ...
.
Biography
Lindberg was the Hilldale Professor Emeritus of History of Science and past director of the Institute for Research in the Humanities, at the
University of Wisconsin–Madison
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United Stat ...
. Lindberg was the author or editor of more than a dozen books, received grants and awards from organizations that included the
John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, the
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent agency of the United States government that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National ...
, the
National Endowment for the Humanities
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is an independent federal agency of the U.S. government, established by thNational Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965(), dedicated to supporting research, education, preserv ...
, the
Institute for Advanced Study
The Institute for Advanced Study (IAS), located in Princeton, New Jersey, in the United States, is an independent center for theoretical research and intellectual inquiry. It has served as the academic home of internationally preeminent schola ...
in Princeton, New Jersey, the
History of Science Society
The History of Science Society (HSS) is the primary professional society for the academic study of the history of science. It was founded in 1924 by George Sarton, David Eugene Smith, and Lawrence Joseph Henderson, primarily to support the publi ...
, the
Medieval Academy of America
The Medieval Academy of America (MAA; spelled Mediaeval until c. 1980) is the largest organization in the United States promoting the field of medieval studies. It was founded in 1925 and is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The academy publishes ...
, and the University of Wisconsin–Madison. With
Ronald Numbers
Ronald Leslie Numbers (born 1942) is an American historian of science. He was awarded the 2008 George Sarton Medal by the History of Science Society for "a lifetime of exceptional scholarly achievement by a distinguished scholar".
Biography
...
, he co-edited two anthologies on the relationship between religion and science. Also with Numbers, Lindberg was general editor of the eight-volume Cambridge History of Science and with Michael Shank editor of its volume on medieval science. He served as president of the History of Science Society and was awarded its highest prize for lifetime scholarly achievement: the Sarton medal.
Selected publications
* ''John Pecham and the Science of Optics: Perspectiva Communis'' (1970)
* ''Theories of Vision from al-Kindi to Kepler'' (1976) ASIN B000OPS4RC; (1996)
* ''Science in the Middle Ages'' (1978)
* ''Studies in the History of Medieval Optics'' (1983)
* ''Roger Bacon's Philosophy of Nature'' (1983) ; (1997)
* ''The Genesis of Kepler's Theory of Light: Light Metaphysics from Plotinus to Kepler'' (1976) ASIN B00073BMM0
* ''God and Nature'' (editor, with Ronald Numbers) (1986)
* ''Reappraisals of the Scientific Revolution'' (editor, with Robert S. Westman) (1990)
* ''
The Beginnings of Western Science, 600 B.C. to A.D. 1450'' (1992)
* ''Roger Bacon and the Origins of Perspectiva in the Middle Ages'' (1996)
* ''When Science and Christianity Meet'' (editor, with Ronald Numbers) (2003)
References
External links
Archived academic homepage*
ttp://gundersonfh.com/obituaries/obituary-listings?obId=377097#/obituaryInfo Obituary
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lindberg, David
Northwestern University alumni
Indiana University alumni
University of Wisconsin–Madison faculty
American historians of religion
Historians of science
Writers from Indiana
Historians from Indiana
Historians from Illinois
Historians from Wisconsin
1935 births
2015 deaths
Fellows of the Medieval Academy of America