IN Albert the Great, His Life and Scholastic Labours (1876) by Dr. Joachim Stighart (transl. by Rev. Fr. T. A. Dixon), we find interesting observations on today’s feast of this towering philosopher, scientist, theologian and saint:

We shall mention first a record which shows that Albert knew how to join the culture of science to the practice of the most ardent piety. His pupil, Thomas of Cantimpre, relates that, during the long years of his scholastic life, he daily recited the Psalter of David. It was also his custom, after his lecture, to devote some time to spiritual reading and holy meditation. He thus inspired his disciples with indefatigable ardour for the study of science, at the same time that he offered them the example of a holy and perfect life. Rodolph says, on the testimony of Thomas of Cantimpre : ‘Ought it to astonish us after this that Albert should be enriched with superhuman knowledge, and that his word should inflame the heart more than that of other masters? We know now from what source those transports of love proceeded which we see so frequently burst forth from his numerous writings.’ If the recital of his practices of piety did not rest on the testimony of one who was his pupil and confidant, who might with difficulty believe in them. We should be tempted to think it impossible for a Professor so occupied, a writer whose works embrace not less than twenty folios, should even have found the time necessary for the recital of the Psalter. But it is a fact which ought to convince us once for all that Albert was also as great in learning as in prayer.

Wikipedia has a decent entry on the saint:

Albert’s knowledge of natural science was considerable and for the age remarkably accurate. His industry in every department was great: not only did he produce commentaries and paraphrases of the entire Aristotelian corpus, including his scientific works, but Albert also added to and improved upon them. His books on topics like botany, zoology, and minerals included information from ancient sources, but also results of his own empirical investigations. These investigations pushed several of the special sciences forward, beyond the reliance on classical texts. In the case of embryology, for example, it has been claimed that little of value was written between Aristotle and Albert, who managed to identify organs within eggs.[20] Furthermore, Albert also effectively invented entire special sciences, where Aristotle has not covered a topic. For example, prior to Albert, there was no systematic study of minerals.[21] For the breadth of these achievements, he was bestowed the name Doctor Universalis.

Much of Albert’s empirical contributions to the natural sciences have been superseded, but his general approach to science may be surprisingly modern. For example, in De Mineralibus (Book II, Tractate ii, Ch. 1) Albert claims, “For it is [the task] of natural science not simply to accept what we are told but to inquire into the causes of natural things.”[21]

— Comments —

Kathy G. writes:

Thank you for the information on St. Albert. I especially liked this:

“Albert claims, “For it is [the task] of natural science not simply to accept what we are told but to inquire into the causes of natural things.”[21]”

No wonder he’s not talked about today.

There was at one time a competing model to the Scientific Method (observe, question, formulate hypothesis, perform experiment/gather data, analyze and conclude, share results, repeat to verify) , known as the Zetetic Method (observation and analysis of facts). Today the Scientific Method is a sacred cow, and we see how hypotheses/theories are treated as “settled science” (heliocentrism, evolution, gravity, the Big Bang), and “evidence” is contrived to fit the theories, short-circuiting further investigation.Requiring experimentation to prove hypotheses is expensive and vulnerable to fraud, rather than simply relying on observations and analyzing the actual facts available.

Albert’s piety and reliance on prayer for guidance is a wonderful and important lesson to remember.

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