Besides, muslims played a key role. In spite of being a minority, their influence on the scientific field was outstanding, either because of their own contribution, or because they transmitted Greek-Hellenic classical knowledge. The Arab language became a synonym of refinement and erudition, in spite of the fact that the vast majority of the population spoke Romance, a very early stage of the Spanish language. Education and knowledge were most important in the muslim world: "There is nothing more important in the eyes of God than a man who learned a science and taught it to people -said the prophet".. From that it follows the numerous works of different fields of knowledge, such as Philosophy, Literature, Music, History, Geography and Natural Science. 
In the early times of Eastern Islam, the science of Philosophy and Logic were studied, and muslims introduced in Al-Andalus the first translations of greek philosophers' works into Arab, especially Aristotle, in spite of the opposition of the rigid religious authorities. In general, scientists had to uphold that there was no contradiction between intellect and reason, and divine revelation, and that they were the best instrument to reach the truth: "Philosphy is Religion's friend and foster brother. It does not contradict revealtion, but it confirms it", said Averroes, who was the most influential philospher both in the muslim world and in Europe, together with Maimonides, an eminent jewish philosopher who was Averroes's contemporary. Mysticism and the belief in a purely intuitive knowledge were also widespread in parallel with the aforementioned rationalist trend. Such dualism was reflected in the field of Natural Sciences: on the one hand, the knowledge and understanding of mathematics, astronomy, medicine, pharmacy, botany and agronomy was deepened; on the other hand, other sciences reproved by the established authority but widely accepted by society, such as astrology, alchemy, magic and magical medicine were also studied in depth. 
The study in detail of the movements of stars and planets by means of sophisticated astrolabes was among the great achievements of that time. Algebra and arithmetic, whose father was al-Jwarizmi,an Oriental (logarithm comes from his name), experimented substantial progress. As for medicine, Hippoccrates and Galeno's theories were perfected. The supreme exponent of medicine was Averroes. All these scientist were most influential in the Europe of their time and of subsequent centuries, and their works were studied by great men, such as Miguel Servet, Copernicus, Nicolas Massa or Galileo. Pharmaceutic inventories are an interesting example of the pharmacopeia of this epoch, although all of them are from the early 16th century. Most of them are related to the aforementioned extra-scientific tradition, others, had a more or less well-known therapeutic effectiveness. Some of these drugs come from the vegetable kingdom, such as cañafístula, negrilla , quince, and ivy seeds; elder flower, angelica root, lime flower, ivy gumresin, brionia root powder, aloes, aloe berry juice, hipocístes juice, acacia juice; camomile and lily rizana powder, bay leaves, sandal, carob juice; beleño, radish and lettuce seeds, benjuí,palo de santo gumresin, peonia root, eleboro negro, euphorbia milk, barley flour, poppy seeds, poelo, nutmeg, herb root powder and extract, dog rose, benedicta root, drago juice, pitch, jalapa, escamonea, long and white pepper, filipéndula, cristoloquia rotunda, persil seed, white eleboro, cardemonia, myrrh, white berbero dictamo, verdolaga seed, bistorta tuber, rose powder, pánace gumresin, pelitre, etc. 
Other drugs come from the animal kingdom, such as castoreas, cantáridas, crayfish eyes, mummy meat -remains of human body embalmed with judea bitumen, resin , myrrh and aloe-, vipers and bezoa stone -taken from ruminants stomach-. Among the drugs made out of minerals, we can mention iodide, raw antimony, England salt, ammonia salt, white precipitate -a complex containing a lot of plumb-, burnt plumb and others. Some medicines -complex of several elements with therapeutic purpose- had already been invented. Together with all these products, there were others whose application must only have had a magical sense, more symbolic than effective. Such products were, for instance, lodestone, lucis jaw, ivory scraping, wild boar tooth and unicornio scrapings. This was also the case of the use of some precious stones such as pilgrim garnets and rubies. |
he simplistic view that relates the limitations of medieval society to the backwardness of Science in our country, has gradually given way to a more complex view of this reality. The underlying question is related to the idea that the so well-worn backwardness of medieval obscurantism was relative, because it is especially related to the intricate bottom of social attitudes, of the ways in which scientific progress is received and projected, where spirituality, superstition and the demand of effective results coexist in difficult balance.