Classical versus popular mathematics in medieval Hebrew mathematical and calendrical treatises

Classical versus popular mathematics in medieval Hebrew mathematical and calendrical treatises - Dr Ilana Wartenberg, UCL. Part of the Workshop 'Science versus popular culture in medieval Jewish society' on 9 November 2015, organised by the ERC Calendars Project at the Department of Hebrew & Jewish Studies, UCL. http://www.ucl.ac.uk/hebrew-jewish/research/research-pro/calendars-antiquity-middle-ages In the lecture I discuss what we can learn about the scientific level and practice of medieval Jews through the introductions by Abraham bar Hiyya/Hayya to two of his scientific treatises on mathematics and astronomy. I also claim that the calendrical algorithms in Jacob bar Samson's treatise on the Jewish calendar strongly hint at the use of mental mathematics rather than a theoretical, abstract perception of the subject.