As Whitehead pointed out, science sprang from the heart of the Christian
West. This has been well documented by P. Duhem and S.L. Jaki. This assertion is
illustrated by quotes from various Christian natural philosophers precursors of
Copernicus, Galileo, and Newton, including Abelard of Bath, Tierry of Chartres, Robert
Grossetteste, William of Auvergne, Thomas Aquinas, Roger Bacon, Etienne Tempier,
Jean Buridan and Nicole Oresme. Christian belief provided a “cultural matrix” for the
growth of science.
Keywords: Whitehead, origin of science, P. Duhem, S.L. Jaki, Christian belief as
“cultural matrix” for science.
