: While Galileo is often seen as a lone rebel, Hannam shows he was deeply indebted to the theories and methods of his medieval predecessors. Significant Figures Highlighted

: Advocated for an experimental science and envisioned future technologies like flying machines.

This book is highly recommended for readers interested in the history of science or the complex relationship between faith and reason .

: A philosopher who proposed that the earth might rotate, long before Copernicus.

: This period saw significant technological leaps, including the invention of spectacles, mechanical clocks, windmills, and the blast furnace .

: Hannam refutes popular misconceptions, such as the idea that medieval people believed the world was flat or that the Inquisition executed people for scientific theories.

James Hannam’s book, , is a historical revisionist work that challenges the myth of the "Dark Ages". Hannam argues that modern science did not suddenly appear in the 17th century but was built upon centuries of intellectual progress fostered by the medieval Church. Core Arguments and Key Takeaways

: Far from suppressing science, the medieval Church was its primary supporter. It established independent universities with legal autonomy, where scholars were free to debate and explore natural philosophy.