Medieval Environments

Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. (Seminar) Each week’s readings raise a number of questions, often intersecting and contradictory, about how the created world was understood by medieval philosophers and poets. What kinds of coherence did the material world have for religious thought, for popular magic and legend, and for medieval scientific speculation? How is human society based on and distinct from the natural world? What kinds of worldly interactions did medieval people value and abhor? In sum, what was environmental thought in these centuries, and what does it share with contemporary environmental thought? Application Instructions: E-mail Professor Susan Crane (sc2298@columbia.edu) with the subject heading “Medieval Environments seminar.” In your message, include basic information: your name, school, major, year of study, and relevant courses taken, along with a brief statement about why you are interested in taking the course.