Albertus Magnus (c. 1200–1280) was a renowned medieval theologian and philosopher who was later canonized for his services to the Roman Catholic Church. His scientific reputation, however, has suffered over the centuries, thanks to his association with one of the most notorious scientific hoaxes of history—the search for the philosopher’s stone, a mythical substance that could supposedly turn base elements into pure gold.
According to legend, Albertus discovered the secret of the philosopher’s stone at the end of his life and whispered it to his protégé, Thomas Aquinas (c. 1225–1274), while on his deathbed. The incident never happened—Aquinas died before Albertus—but it has cemented the latter’s reputation as the epitome of the medieval pseudoscientist.
In fact, Albertus was one of the most revolutionary thinkers of his time. His defense of the compatibility of reason and religion helped to usher in modern science. Like his contemporary Roger Bacon (c. 1214–c. 1292), he defended scientific inquiry from its medieval critics and conducted his own studies of botany, physiology, astronomy, geography, and chemistry. “The aim of natural science,” he wrote, “is not simply to accept the statements of others, but to investigate the causes that are at work in nature.”
Albertus was born in Germany and educated at the University of Padua in Italy. He joined the Dominican order in 1223 and taught at various schools in his native Germany. He later moved to the University of Paris, where his students included the young Aquinas. In his classrooms, Albertus did much to reintroduce the work of such Greek thinkers as Aristotle (384–322 BC) into European thought.
Albertus was also a major figure in church politics, serving as the bishop of Regensburg, a city in Bavaria, for three years and helping to organize the unsuccessful Eighth Crusade in 1270. Hailed as one of the great thinkers of Europe, he died in Cologne in 1280.
ADDITIONAL FACTS
- In Latin, magnus means “the great,” an honorific that was bestowed upon Albertus during his lifetime in recognition of his theological influence. He is sometimes referred to as Albert the Great in English.
- Although he failed to create the philosopher’s stone, Albertus was the first European to discover arsenic. He isolated the poisonous metalloid in about 1250.
- Albertus was made a saint in the Roman Catholic Church by Pope Pius XI (1857–1939) in 1931. He is the patron saint of students, scientists, and the city of Cincinnati, Ohio.
